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DONGGUAN(东莞) TRAVEL GUIDE

January 18th, 2008

Dongguan(东莞) is located in the mid-south of Guangdong Province and in the east of the Pearl River Delta. 50 kilometers (about 31 miles) south of Guangzhou, and 90 kilometers (about 56 miles) north of Shenzhen, Dongguan is 47 nautical miles from Hong Kong as well as 48 nautical miles from Macau. Currently, Dongguan plays a vital role in the communication between Guangzhou and Hong Kong.

In the year of 331 Dongguan was first built as a county but the history of this area can be traced back to the Neolithic Age. About 150 years ago, the famous Incineration of Opium during the Opium War took place in Humen Town, Dongguan City, opening a new chapter of Chinese modern history. Now, visitors have opportunities to visit the most complete ancient battlefield remains in the world. During the current era of reform and opening-up in China, Dongguan’s economy maintains a substantial and rapid development, making Dongguan an important international industrial city. By 1988, Dongguan was upgraded to be a prefecture-level city of Guanggong Province.

At present, covering an area of 2,465 square kilometers (about 952 square miles), Dongguan City administers 28 towns and 4 subdistricts. In the year 2005, the population of Dongguan reached 7,506,300, including 5,849,800 temporary residents. Additionally, Dongguan is the hometown of 280,000 overseas Chinese and more than 70,000 compatriots in Hong Kong. All of them have made lots of contributions to the development of Dongguan.

A number of historical sites are left in the city which has experienced a long and splendid history. The destinations related to the Opium War tell the early modern history to every visitor. Apart from those, Keyuan Garden and Hermit Villa should not be missed on your trip. They are ideal places for people to relax in the bustling industrial city. While developing the economy, the local government has also paid great attention to the city’s tourism industry. In recent years, a number of natural tourism destinations have been built in Dongguan, adding more color to your trip. Catering for the needs of the city’s further development, the pubic facilities in Dongguan are being improved step by step. By now, visitors from both home and abroad can get here easily by air, ship or bus. Also a large number of star-rated hotel are situated everywhere in Dongguan.

The advantageous geographical position also brings to Dongguan a pleasant climate and rich resources. When you come here in the harvest season, you must sample some local agricultural products such as bananas, litchi, longan, pineapples, etc. And the 115.98 kilometers (about 72 miles) long coastline supplies the locals with abundant seafood which is the main ingredient of local dishes. Don’t forget to try it in your travels.

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CHINA’S COLDEST CITIES MAKE PROFIT FROM ICE

January 18th, 2008

Ice might seem a tough sell in Harbin(哈尔滨), one of China’s coldest cities, but it has pulled it off with a spectacular annual festival that for many is far more tempting than a warm beach holiday.
The Ice and Snow Festival, which features hundreds of massive sculptures carved out of ice, has become a huge draw for visitors, turning northern China’s often forbidding temperatures into a competitive advantage.

“We’ve had a few copycats. Other cities in north China have opened ice festivals. But they aren’t as favoured by geography as we are,” said Liu Ruiqiang, president of Harbin Modern Group, a tourism and hotel business.

The “Harbin Ice and Snow Big World,” a theme park featuring dazzlingly lit sculptures of Chinese palaces, Russian churches and French cathedrals, has benefitted from its close proximity to the Songhua River.

“This is much better than I thought it would be. The carvings are really elaborate. I would have expected them to be much cruder,” said 23-year-old Harbin Industrial University student Hao Zhifu, one of the visitors.

In early December, 15,000 workers began cutting ice blocks from the river’s frozen surface, and 16 days and 120,000 cubic metres (4.2 million cubic feet) of ice later, the show was ready.

The speed and efficiency reflect the growing professionalism of an annual event that traces its modest beginnings back to the early 1960s, when the city was a bleak, industrial powerbase for communist China.

Now, as the old-style communist economic theories have evaporated and much of the manufacturing has disappeared, the festival reflects the city’s efforts to modernise.
In that light, organisers hope it will become an event on a global scale, and apparently it is having success.

In January, when the mercury often creeps below 20 degrees Celsius (minus four Fahrenheit), one would expect those who could afford it to be rushing to the south, but in fact the stream of wealthy visitors is in the opposite direction.

“We’ve got Koreans, Japanese, Thai, Singaporeans. Especially the Southeast Asians, are fascinated by the snow and the ice. They don’t get too much of that where they come from,” said Liu, who is also director of the “Big World.”

“But our focus will remain on the domestic market. The economy is booming, and so is tourism. And we’re offering a choice for the new breed of holiday maker.”

On average, the festival records about 800,000 visitors every year, 90 percent of them Chinese, making it hard to find a hotel room during the peak season in January.

At the same time, the festival is not cheap by Chinese standards. Entrance into the “Big World”, the festival’s main attraction, is 150 yuan (21 dollars).

“The festival is Harbin’s way of saying hello to the world,” said 22-year-old Zhang Wei, selling instant coffee at 15 yuan a cup inside the “Big World”.

“Of course, it’s also a way to make money.”

Nevertheless, the festival’s organisers still find it hard to make money. Liu said he expected 60 million yuan in revenue from “Big World,” roughly equal to the cost.

“Basically, we’re just breaking even. Some years we even have to shoulder a small loss. But it’s OK, we’re still in the process of building up a brand,” said Liu.

In coming years, he said, he plans to attract new visitors through more intensive advertising on TV and via the Internet.

In another sign that money is ice in Harbin, the “Big World” features exhibits of major international products, including life-sized replicas of Porsche autos and a giant Coca-Cola bottle.

“I don’t mind that people try to make money. They also need to make ends meet,” said Hao, the university student.

“But I think the advertisements for some of the foreign brands are a bit too much on the commercial side.”

Commercialism does not bother Li Zhi, 25, from north China’s Changchun city, who sells commemorative coins from a booth inside the “Big World”, one of an army of souvenir sellers and snack vendors here.

“I heard there was good money to be made here, and it’s true,” he said. “I’ll be back next year.”

Source-AFP

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LANZHOU- THE GOLDEN CITY AlONG THE SILK ROAD

January 18th, 2008

Lanzhou(兰州), the capital of Gansu Province, used to be called the Golden City as a vital stop along the Silk Road and has a history of over 2,000 years. It has been important because of the Hexi Corridor, or “Corridor West of the Yellow River”, where the early Chinese civilization began. Lanzhou is also the only city beside the Yellow River. As a cultural and historical city, Lanzhou boasts attractions like the Yellow River Scenery, the Five Springs Park, White Pagoda Park and so on.

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THE STEAMED BREADS DISTRIBUTED BY CAPITALIST

January 17th, 2008

With the annual Spring Festival approaching,the year-end awards becomes one of the most important thing for chinese employees who is concerned about.

Yesterday morning,one netizen in Shenzhen complained in one posting,this year,our boss distributed to each of us a case of steamed bread(馒头) as our year-end awards,we were puzzled,possibly I suspect he wanted to send us a message that our company would flourish in the new year. It is too mean.

Strengely enough,some netizens hold different ideas about it.Through the survey, those guys expressed their appreciation for the boss to be creative and talented.One guy named star said that it is better for steamed bread than nothing in his company.Another nitizen also said few companies hand out things in Shenzhen.

And some netizens condemned the boss to be absolutely vicious capitalist and vampire.

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About ZHIQING

January 17th, 2008

ZHIQING is a multi-cultural network media,which will be a guide for you to know China genuinely,in various fields of industry,business,humanities and urban life.

ZHI(知) is to know,to be aware of and knowledge.

QING(青) means the Youth.

ZHIQING(知青),it literally means those well-educated young people.Meanwhile it also means a special group in China under one curtain historial background.Such a group consists of the young people,who was organised by the goverment to contribute to national constuction in the countryside under the special policy.

Nowdays,it is of great importance to know for each of us,then ZHIQING arises here to get you to know.

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