ATTRACTIONS TO SEE
The Great Wall of China, one of the most magnificent man - made projects
in the world, lies across the northern part of China like a great sleeping
dragon, winding its way through the vast territory of China. According
to astronauts who looked back on earth from the moon, it is one of the
few objects on earth visible from space. In 1987 it was made one of
the World Heritage Sites. The Great Wall not only belongs to China,
but is also part of the cultural heritage of the whole world. Through
Western contact with China, the legend of the Great Wall grew along
with the tourism. Today the Great Wall sections around Beijing, like
Badaling, Mutianyu, Jinshanling and Gubeikou receive thousand of tourists
each day.
The museum is home to an entire army of life-sized clay soldiers buried
centuries ago to guard the underground tomb of China's first emperor
- Qin Shihuang. It is located in the walled city of Xi'an (pronounced
"Jai-an").
The largest Imperial garden in the world. As a paragon of Chinese
gardens, this huge garden includes Longevity Hill, whose beauty is set
off by a multitude of halls, kiosks and trees, and Kunming Lake, a huge
body of liquid silver. Major tourist attractions are Tower of Buddhist
Incense, 17-Span Bridge, Long Gallery, Cloud Dispelling Hall, Marble
Boat, Beamless Hall, Garden of Harmonious Delights, the theatre in the
Garden of Moral Harmony, and Suzhou Street. The entire place is a de
facto museum of China's classical architecture. Housed in these buildings
are an immense collection of treasures and cultural artifacts.
Large enough to hold 1 million people, the 440,000-square metre Tian'anmen
Square in the center of Beijing is the world's largest city square,
where sunrises and sunsets are observed solemnly with national flag
hoisting and lowering ceremonies. Tian'an men Gate on the northern edge
of the square used to be the front gate of the Ming and Qing Imperial
Palace. The rostrum atop the gate, where national leaders review mass
rallies or gala celebrations on important occasions, is open to
tourists. The Monument to the People's Heroes stands in the center of
the square. Behind Zhengyang Gate to the south sprawls Mao Zedong Memorial
Hall; to the east is the complex which houses the Museum of Chinese
Revolution and the Museum of Chinese History. The Great hall of the
People stands on the western side. The night scene of Tian'anmen Square
is definitely a MUST for any visitor to Beijing.
It is the former Imperial Palace. The 720,000-square-metre Palace
Museum, better known as "Forbidden City", was the imperial
palace for the Ming and Qing. Built during the 1406-1420 period, it
is the largest royal palatial complex in existence in China; ranging
from the majestic to the exquisite, they bear witness to a nation in
transition. Other tourist attractions on the premises include a huge
stone ramp carved with intricate dragon and cloud patterns, Imperial
Garden and Nine-Dragon Screen Wall. An immense trove of cultural artifacts
and treasures of various dynasties, some of them on display in the Treasure
Hall and the ceramics, painting, bronze ware galleries, are reason enough
for UNESCO to adopt the Former Imperial Palace as a world cultural heritage
site.
China's largest temple and altar are found in Temple of Heaven, part
of a 273 hectare park in Chongwen District today. Built in 1420, it
was where Ming and Qing monarchs prayed for good harvests. Major structures
are hall of Prayer for good Harvest, Imperial Vault of Heaven, Circular
Altar, and Abstinence Palace. UNESCO endorsed Temple of Heaven as a
world cultural heritage site in December 1998.
An entrance walkway to the Dingling Ming Tombs, lined with statues,
said to guard the burial grounds.
Peking Duck has the reputation of being the most delicious food Beijing
has to offer. Some find it a bit too greasy, but others get hooked after
one taste. In any case, a Peking Duck dinner is usually a fixed item
on any Beijing tour itinerary. Eating Peking Duck is absolutely supposed
to do while in Beijing
Peking opera of China is a national treasure with a history of 200
years. In the 55th year of the reign of Emperor Qianlong of the Qing
Dynasty (1790) , the four big Huiban opera Troupes entered the capital
and combined with Kunqu opera, Yiyang opera, Hanju opera and Luantan
in Beijing's theoretical circle of the time. Over a period of more than
half a century of combination and integration of various kinds of opera
there evolved the present Peking opera. Peking Opera is the most significant
of all operas in China, and it has a richness of repertoire, great number
of artists and audiences, that give it a profound influence in China
and plays a large role in Chinese culture.
Peking opera is a synthesis of stylized action, singing, dialogue and
mime, acrobatic fighting and dancing to represent a story or depict
different characters and their feelings of gladness, anger, sorrow,
happiness, surprise, fear and sadness. In Peking opera there are four
main types of roles: sheng (male) dan (young female), jing (painted
face,male), and chou (clown, male or female). The characters may be
loyal or treacherous, beautiful or ugly, good or bad, their images being
vividly manifested.
Elephant Trunk Hill is regarded as the symbol of Guilin landscape.
It shows an elephant leisurely sucking water from the river with its
long trunk, this hill is famous as Elephant Trunk Hill for hundreds
of years. This hill reaches a height of 55 meters above the Li River.
50 kilometers northwest from Beijing City lies the Ming Tombs - the
general name given to the mausoleums of 13 emperors of the Ming Dynasty
(1368 - 1644). The mausoleums have been perfectly preserved, as has
the burial places of each of the many emperors. Because of its long
history and palatial and integrated architecture, the site has a high
cultural and historic value. The layout and arrangement of all thirteen
mausoleums are very similar but vary in size as well as in the complexity
of their structures.
It was originally built only as Changling, the tomb of Emperor Zhuli
and his empresses. This is the most magnificent of the tombs. The succeeding
twelve emperors had their tombs built around Changling.
Only the Changling and Dingling tombs are open to the public. Changling,
the chief of the Ming Tombs, is the largest in scale and is completely
preserved. The total internal area of the main building is 1956 square
meters. There are 32 huge posts, and the largest measures about 14 meters
in height. It inhumes Emperor Zhuli, the fourth son of Emperor Zhu Yuanzhang.
My Beijing China recommends the Lingsi Palace in its second yard as
really deserving a visit. This is unique as it is the only huge palace
made of camphor wood. It covers about 1956 square meters. The ceiling
is colorfully painted and supported by sixteen solid camphor posts.
The floor was decorated with gold bricks.
Unlike Changling, Dingling is under ground and about 27 meters deep.
It is the mausoleum of Emperor Zhu Yijun, the thirteenth emperor who
occupied the throne the longest during the Ming Dynasty, and his two
empresses. The main features are the Stone Bridge, Soul Tower, Baocheng
and the Underground Place, which was unearthed between 1956 and 1958.
The entire palace is made of stone. The Soul Tower is symbolic of the
whole of Dingling and it forms the entrance to the underground chambers.
The yellow glazed tiles; eaves, archway, rafters and columns are all
sculptured from stone, and colorfully painted. The entire construction
is stable and beautiful!
Served by three stone doors, it is divided into three Halls consisting
of five high palaces - the front, the middle, the rear, the left and
the right palaces. The Gate of the Tomb, the Gate of Eminent Favor and
the Lingxing Gate all have the same structural form.
The front hall, considered the square of the Palace, has no building
within it. No special artifacts remain in either the left and right
palaces that are about 7 meters high, six meters wide, and 26 meters
long. However, each has a centrally placed white marble coffin bed,
the surface of which is covered with gold bricks. On each bed there
is a square hole filled with loess. This is the so-called "Gold
Well". A paved path leads to the central hall where there are three
white marble thrones. Incense, candles and flowers were set in front
of the thrones. Before each of them, there are glazed 'Five Offerings'
and a blue china jar that would have been filled with sesame oil to
be used for lamps. The rear hall is the main and biggest part of the
Palace. The coffins of Emperor Zhu Yijun and his two empresses are in
this palace. There are also some precious items displayed with these
coffins; among them is the gold imperial crown, one of the world's rearest
treasures.
We feel that it is necessary to remind visitors with heart problems
to consider carefully whether they should enter the underground chambers.
The atmosphere and dull lighting can be a problem. As always, do not
hesitate to consult your guide, who will be able to offer advice.
At the northeast corner of Beijing City the traveler will find an
elegant and ancient temple known as the Yonghe Lamasery, which is the
largest and most perfectly preserved lamasery in present day China.
Built initially in 1694 during the Qing Dynasty, this building was the
residence of Emperor Yongzheng when he was just a prince. However, in
1744 the Qing Dynasty formally changed the status of the dwelling to
that of a lamasery, and so Yonghe Lamasery became the national centre
of Lama administration.
The Forest of Stone Steles Museum is situated near the south gate of
Xian City Wall. (stele: vertical stone slab or pillar, usually inscribed)
It was established in AD 1087 when some precious stone steles were moved
here for safe keeping, including the "Classic on Filial Piety" written
by Emperor Xuanzong in AD 745 and "the Kaicheng Stone Steles" carved
in AD 837. With an area covering 31,000 square meters, the Forest of
Stone Steles was the principal museum for Shaanxi Province from 1944
until 1992 when it was officially named as the Forest of Stone Steles
Museum.
Big Wild Goose Pagoda is a well-preserved ancient building and a holy
place for Buddhists. It is located in the southern suburb of Xian City,
about 4 kilometers (2.49 miles) from the downtown of the city. It was
Originally built in 652 in the Tang Dynasty. The pagoda collapsed not
long after it was built. It was rebuilt between 701 and 704 on the order
of Empress Wu Ze Tian. The pagoda was meant to serve as place to collect
Buddhist materials, such as Sanskrit manuscripts that were taken from
India by Xuanzang. Surrounding the pagoda is the Temple of Great Maternal
Grace, Da Ci'en.
Shaanxi Provincial History Museum is a striking Tang-Dynasty style pavilion. It houses a large collection of 113,000 historic and cultural artifacts unearthed in Shaanxi. The main complex is a mixture of ancient palaces and courtyard buildings built in simple and elegant styles. The exhibits on the ground and first floors are arranged in roughly three parts: Basic Exhibition Hall, the Theme Exhibition Hall and East Exhibition Hall.
The exhibits covered are the Han, Wei, Jin, North and South, Sui, Tang, Song, Yuan, Ming and Quing dynasties, as well as the bronze and prehistoric period.
The Li River area is the location of some of the most beautiful scenery in China. Gorges, mountains, valley and river all combine to awe you. Bring your camera!
This special dinner show in Xi'an is a re-enactment of historical events
by costumed performers.
This is the key section of the navigation structure of the Three Gorges
Dam. The ship lock has a two-way and five-step flight. Each lock chamber
has a capacity of 47600 cubic meters. The fall between each chamber
is 22-23 meters and the five successive locks will raise ships up to
the level of the reservoir with a fall of 113 meters. It takes a ship
40-50 minutes to pass each chamber and a total of two and a half hours
to pass the Dam. The ship lock is the largest of its kind in the world
and it can carry a 3,000-ton passenger ship and 10,000 tons of barge
traffic each time.
FengDu has a long, rich history. It was once a part of the Ba Kingdom
in the Zhou Dynasty, which dates back more than 2,300 years. Fengdu
is most famous for its ghost town, Mingshan Mountain, the stone carving
of the ghost king, and the unique kingdom of hell.
Yangshuo is located some 90 kilometers south of Guilin City. Yangshuo
is renowned as the best in Guilin. The town is very small. The famous
West Street in the town is lined with western cafes, restaurants and
hotels. It has a population about 300,000, making up of different ethnic
groups such as Han, Zhuang, Yao, Hui, etc. The weather in Yangshuo is
subtropical, meaning it has a temperate climate year round. With a sufficient
rainfall, amount of sunlight, and even temperature throughout the year
it has become a favorite with tourists. On average each year the temperature
is 19 degrees Celsius.
Yellow Crane Tower is located on Snake Hill in Wuchang. Legend tells
us that in Wuchang, a young man opened a wine shop. One day, a Taoist
priest in gratitude for free wine, drew a magic crane on the wall of
the shop and instructed it to dance whenever it heard clapping. The
legend says that thousands of people came to see the spectacle and the
wine shop was always full of guests. After 10 years, the Taoist priest
then revisited the wine shop. He played the flute and then rode on the
crane up into the sky. Legend then says that in memory of the supernatural
encounter and the priest, the young man built a tower and named it Yellow
Crane Tower. The tower has served as a gathering place for many celebrities
and poets to celebrate and compose poetry. Cui Hao, a famous poet during
the Tang dynasty (618-907) made the tower well known throughout China
with his poem "Yellow Crane Tower".
 Reed Flute Cave is a wonderful limestone cave containing a large number
of stalactites, stalagmites, stalacto-stalagmites, rocky curtains, and
cave corals. It is also Guilin's largest and most impressive cave. Its
name due to the fact that reeds for making both flutes and pipes have
been grown in this region since ancient times. This dripstone cave is
790 feet deep, and visitors will walk for about 550 yards through a
zigzagging way in dazzling colors. Although the cave is also known as
a Palace of Natural Art, manmade strategies use artificial lighting
to emphasize the coincidental similarity of the rock formations to birds,
plants, and animals.
Seven Stars Park is a great favorite with both locals and tourists
alike. The park name comes from the fact that the four peaks on Putuo
Hill and the three peaks on Crescent Hill are positioned in the pattern
of “the Big Dipper” constellation otherwise known as Big Bear or Ursa
Major. As you walk into the park you will find Crescent Hill to your
right, so named for its crescent-moon shaped rock. Some notable features
of this hill are the 200 calligraphy carvings on the walls of the caves
within it. These carvings are said to be the work of important and talented
calligraphers from the Tang, Ming and Qing Dynasties.
Fubo Hill, is one of Guilin's most scenic spots. It reaches the height
of 213 meters (698.8 feet) and emerges 62 meters (203.4 feet) above
the water, half of Fubo Hill juts into the Li River (Lijiang River).
The Hill is considered to have the power to subdue waves since the galloping
water is always blocked here and eddied. Fubo hill was named due to
the temple built during the Tang Dynasty (618-907) in commemoration
of General Fubo. At the base of Fubo hill lays the Pearl-Returning Cave,
the Thousand-Buddha Cave and the Sword-Testing Rock, all places of great
interest.
Shanghai Museum is located in the center of Shanghai in People’s
Square. It is a museum of ancient Chinese art. The exterior design of
the round dome and the square base symbolizes the ancient idea of a
round heaven and a square land. The museum is divided into eleven galleries
and three exhibition halls. The eleven Galleries cover most major categories
of Chinese art including Ancient Bronze, Ancient Ceramics, Paintings,
Calligraphy, Ancient Sculpture, Ancient Jade, Coins, Ming and Qing Furniture,
Seals, and Minority Nationalities.
Located in Pudong Park in Lujiazui, Shanghai, the tower is flanked
by the Yangpu Bridge in the northeast and the Nanpu Bridge in the southwest.
The visual this creates is a picture of "twin dragons playing with
pearls". At 468 meters high (1,536 feet), it is the world's third
highest TV and radio tower.
The Hubei Provincial Museum was established in 1953 and contains the
most important collections of artifacts in the province. More than 140,000
items, mainly from a large tomb excavated in 1978, are preserved here.
Included in the Museums collection are 645 first-class cultural relics
and 16 national treasures.
A place of peace and harmony in the heart of bustling Shanghai is what
Yuyuan Garden is. It began as a private garden created by Pan Yunduan,
who spent almost 20 years and all of his savings to build a garden in
order to please his parents in their old age. The reason he called this
garden "Yuyuan" is because "yu" in Chinese means
"peace and health". There are more than 40 scenic areas scattered
throughout the garden, which is divided into six parts by five boundary
walls. The six scenic areas within the garden are the Grand Rockery,
the Ten Thousand-Flower Pavilion, the Hall of Heralding Spring, the
Hall of Jade Magnificence, the Inner Garden, and the Lotus Pool.
Known since the Ming Dynasty as the "First Wonder of the World".
Walking through the Stone Forest, visitors marvel at the natural stone
masterpieces and are bewitched by the intricate formations. The magnificent,
strange and steep landscapes featuring stones in various formations.
Animals, plants, and even human figures can be found here. Some are
elegant, some are rugged, and each is lifelike with its own distinguishing
characteristics.
Dianchi Lake is located at the base of the Western Hills to the southwest
of Kunming. The largest lake in Kunming and the sixth largest fresh
water lake in China, Dianchi Lake is 300 square kilometers (116 square
miles) in surface area, 1,885 meters (6,185 feet) in altitude and about
40 kilometers (25 miles) in length (from north to south).The ocean-like
Dianchi Lake is a wonderful place to visit for those who wish to get
away from the bustling city and be close to the nature. Facing such
a vast and beautiful place, one may forget everything even oneself,
the only thing left is the amazing scenery before you.
The Western Hills are 15 kilometers (nine miles) from Kunming. They
consist of four mountains: Biji, Luohan, Huating, and Taiping. Viewed
from a distance, the skyline of the Western Hills' forest reserve represents
a beautiful lady reclining leisurely alongside of Dianchi Lake with
her long hair hanging casually in the mirror-like water. It is for this
reason that the local people gave the Western Hills the nickname, Sleeping
Beauty Hills.
The Golden Temple is located on top of Mingfeng (Singing Phoenix) Hill.
It is a Taoist Taihe Palace (Hall of Supreme Harmony) that is made of
copper. It is also known as the Tongwa Temple (Bronze Tile Temple) and
by its most popular name, the Golden Temple. The history of the Golden
Temple starts during the Ming Dynasty and the reign of the Emperor Wanli
in 1602. The hillside surrounding the Golden Temple abounds with pine
trees, evergreens, hardy cypresses, and a multitude of other plants.
The Golden Temple is only 11 kilometers (7 miles) from Kunming, in the
province of Yunnan and is easily accessible by public transportation.
Also known as "Temple of the Soul's Retreat", Lingyin Temple
is one of the largest and wealthiest temples in China. It was originally
founded in 326 AD, and has since been rebuilt no less than sixteen times
since then. The uniqueness of the temple is in its size, particularly
the size of its principle buildings. The front hall, and former entrance,
is the huge Hall of the Heavenly Kings. The principle Buddha here is
the big belly Buddha, also known as the Laughing Buddha. He faces the
front of the hall to the south to greet visitors who enter the compound.
The Chen Family Temple, also known as Guangdong Folk Art Museum, was
built in the 1890s and contains nine halls and six courtyards. All of
its windows, door frames, and pavilions are decorated with intricate
carvings and sculptures. It is now the largest, best preserved and decorated
ancient architecture existing in Guangdong province.
Sun Yatsen (1866-1925), was China's great revolutionary forefather.
The mausoleum was built from 1926-1929. The site covers an area of 80,000
sq meters on the southern slopes of Zhongshan Hill east of the city.
There is a large bronze statue at the base of the mausoleum. There are
392 marble steps that must be climbed in order to reach the memorial
hall.
It is a small wonder that West Lake was a favorite imperial retreat.
The lake and its environs have all the elements of a traditional Chinese
garden but on a very grand scale. The natural setting of strangely shaped
peaks, serene forests and springs, dense foliage and a myriad of blossoms
especially in springtime are enhanced by a treasury of sculpture and
architectural features.
 Taihu lake covers an area of 2250 square kilometres and has an average
depth of 2 metres. It is the third largest freshwater lake in China.
There are approximately 90 islets, large and small, which along with
the presence of many fleets of fishing junk boats make it a remarkable
spectacle to see. The lake has a thriving fishing industry as well as
its ornamental limestone rocks that are only native to this area. This
limestone is very sought after for use as accessories in the decoration
of traditional Chinese gardens throughout China. Out of all the islets,
Turtle Head Islet is the one that should not be left unseen.
The Yangtze River Bridge is the first highway-railway bridge over the
Yangtze River. Built in 1955, the grand bridge is 1670.4 meters (5480.3
feet) long with the main body of 1156 meters (3,793feet). It has 8 piers
and 9 holes. The bridge is divided into two levels with the upper one
for bus transit and the lower one specifically for trains. The roadway
is 18 meters (59feet) wide for 6 buses to run parallel.
DuFu was a famous Tang poet who lived in Chengdu for a brief period
of time. This cottage is the place in which DuFu lived in 7th century.
He wrote over 200 poems during his stay in Chengdu. He was one of the
greatest poets in Chinese history. His Poetry was usually written as
a way to criticize politicians or to express sympathy towards the poor.
In his memory, his cottage has become a historic site that many people
travel to see.
The Red Carp Pond is the heart of Viewing Fish at Flower Harbor Park,
one of the places of interests at West Lake. Countless carps live and
play in Red Carp Pond. Viewing Fish at Flower Harbor has developed into
a large park of over 20 hectares made up of five scenic spots; namely,
Red Carp Pond, peony park, flower harbor, lawn, and grove.
Located on the north bank of the Qiantang River in Hangzhou, Zhejiang
Province is The Six harmonies Pagoda. The name "six harmonies"
derives from the six Buddhist ordinances, meaning "harmonies of
the heaven, earth, north, south, east, and west". The pagoda was
originally built in 970 AD. This pagoda is a masterpiece of ancient
Chinese architecture and exhibits the arts of Chinese calligraphy and
seal-cutting. There are various sorts of stone tablets and stone statues
both inside and out of the pagoda. You may also see relics such as a
minister's tablet, a Buddhist scripture tablet, a god statue, a poem
inscription, and similar artifacts from various different dynasties.
ZhuoZheng Garden is the largest private garden located in northeast
Suzhou. It was built as retirement residence by an Imperial inspector
in Ming Dynasty, and accordingly carried such name as Zhuo Zheng Yuan
meaning "The humble life of a retired man." The garden is
representative of a Chinese classical garden. This is the best aspects
of Chinese architecture concentrated into such a small space, whose
built environment has a direct and crucial connection to emotional well
being.
Hanshan Temple is located in Maple Bridge town in the west outskirts
of Suzhou, covering an area of 45 hectares. The main architectural structures
in this temple include the main hall, the hall with a circular gallery,
the sutra library, the bell tower, a pavilion tower known as Maple River
Tower, and many more. An important component of the Hanshan Temple is
The Bell Tower. The bell was made in 1906 during the Qing Dynasty. During
New Year's Eve, thousands of visitors from home and abroad gather inside
and outside of the temple to listen to the bell tolling, at the same
time praying for luck and happiness in the New Year.
Liyuan Garden is located in southwest of Wuxi, and is surrounded on
three sides by the Lake. It is one of the most famous gardens for lake
scenery in China. Liyuan Garden is a private garden built in the early
20th century. The garden is classical Chinese in layout and architecture,
with ponds, a walkway, mini-bridges, mini-pagodas and souvenir stalls
dotted here and there. (Also known as Li Garden)
The garden was originally laid out in 1522 AD. The whole space is
artfully and appropriately handled and arranged with exquisitely pretty
scales. It is a typical garden of the Ming period with elegance and
exquisiteness in the southern Yangtze Valley.
The Jokhang Temple is the spiritual center of Tibet. It has a history
spanning more than 1,300 years. It was according to Chinese astrology
that the temple should be built on the pool where it is located. It
is said that the pool was a witch's heart, so the temple should be built
on the pool to get rid of evils. The pool still exists under the temple.
The construction took 12 months. However, the original structure was
small. Large scale reconstruction and renovation took place under the
reign of the Fifth Dalai Lama. The temple is the product of Han, Tibetan
and Nepalese architectural techniques. Visitors will be treated to the
sight of various exotic and sacred sculptures.
Lhasa Summer Palace is a beautiful park in the western suburbs of
Lhasa. It used to be the summer resort for the Dalai Lamas where they
handled political affairs and practiced religious activities. Construction
started in the18th century. The whole park has more than 370 rooms of
different sizes and lawns shaded by green trees and containing various
flowers. With the clear water, and the flowers and trees around, it
is known as the "park in the park".
The Potala Palace was built 130 meters above the Lhasa valley. A Palace
was initially built in 637 by Songtsen Gampo on the hill. Construction
in the following dynasties has been completed. In 1922 the 13th Dalai
Lama renovated many chapels and assembly halls in the White Palace and
added two stories to the Red Palace. The Potala Palace is an immense
structure, its interior space being in excess of 130,000 square meters.
It was the seat of Tibetan government, where all ceremonies of state
were held; it housed a school for religious training of monks and administrators;
and it was one of Tibet's major pilgrimage destinations because of the
tombs of past Dalai Lamas.
YiWu is a largest retail market in China. Its products vary. Products
have been exported up to 122 countries all over the world and export
volume reached US$1 billion in 2000. 40% of the stockings and socks
in the world market is from YiWu. You can visit a huge market including
thousands of small business counters selling various products. If you
have ever considered setting up a business relationship in China, this
is your opportunity!
This ancient, but still active monastery was founded during the Tang
Dynasty -618-907 AD-. Prominent in this complex is Lohan Hall, with
500 Buddhist statues dating from the 17th century.
Tiger Hill is located in SuZhou City. It is a large hillock covering
some14100 square metres and is 36 metres in height. Climbing the hill,
you will find a number of historical sites some of which can be traced
back over 2500 years to the founding of Suzhou. Although the hill is
relatively small, it has rich history.
The Mausoleum of General Yue Fei is located at the southern foot of
Qixia hill, on West Lake bank. It was listed as one of the state-level
cultural relic protection sites in 1961. General Yue Fei is a famous
national hero in the war against Jin invaders during the Southern Song
Dynasty (1127-1279). In 1221, a temple was built not only to honour
General Yue Fei who made such a great contribution to China defending
his country against the Jin invaders, but also as an educational site
for all Chinese to learn about patriotism. The mausoleum is 23 feet
in diameter and 9 feet in height.
In 1882, an old temple was built to keep two jade Buddha statues which
had been brought from Burma. The temple was destroyed during the revolution.
Fortunately the jade Buddha statues survived and a new temple was built
on the present site in 1928. It was named the Jade Buddha Temple. The
two precious jade Buddhist statues are not only rare cultural relics
but are also porcelain artworks. Both the Sitting Buddha and the Recumbent
Buddha are carved out of solid white jade. The Sitting Buddha is 190
centimeters high.
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