By Rama Gaind
It was quite surprising to realise that there are a number of World Heritage sites in China’s capital of Beijing. Visiting at least a couple of them is a must.
These include the Great Wall of China (best known is Badaling stretch), the Forbidden City, the Summer Palace, the Ming Dynasty Tombs and the Temple of Heaven.
You may not be able to visit them all, but you’ll be astounded by the list of buildings, monuments and landmarks, temples, cathedrals and mosques, museums, parks and gardens that warrant a stop.
Tian’anmen Square, relics of ages gone by, not to mention shopping and visiting commercial districts. The Silk Street (also called Xiushui Market) is known the world over for selling counterfeit luxury designer brands at rather low prices
The tourist attractions of Beijing are plenty and their history is loaded with riches.
Venture further to Shanxi province, 400 kilometres west of Beijing, and you’ll learn that coal mining is important to its economy. The province is located west of the Taihang Mountains and includes portions of the Loess Plateau on the middle reaches of the Yellow River, as well as, the Qinling Mountains across the southern half.
One third of all China’s coal reserves are in this province, which is also rich in iron, cobalt, bauxite and aluminum. The mineral and ore resources make Taiyuan, Shanxi’s capital and largest city, the major industrial centre.
Overwhelming beauty
Again, the beauty of the area is overwhelming from high-topped mountains and colourful temples, many displaying ancient architecture to Buddhist caves with unbelievable artworks which transcend time to tell individual stories.
On the outskirts of Taiyuan, you will find Jinci Temple, an ancient ancestral temple, founded about 1400 years ago and was expanded during the Sui, Tang, Song, Yuan, Ming, and Qing Dynasties. This has resulted in a variety of architectural styles.
Sitting at the base of Xuanweng Mountain, it comprises over 100 halls, towers, pavilions, terraces, and bridges and includes some of the best Song Dynasty sculptures and buildings still in existence in China, as well as, some ancient trees on beautiful landscapes.
Then there’s the unsurpassed beauty of Mt. Wutai, one of four of China’s most important Buddhist mountains with picturesque natural scenery.
Wu-Tai Shan (Five Terrace Mountain) has served as a Buddhist pilgrimage site for almost 2000 years. At an altitude of about 9000 feet, its five peaks are up to 11,000 feet high. There’s a spectacular group of hillside temples at Taihuai, north-east of Taiyuan.
Towering over all of them is the Tayuan Si Pagoda, the top of which serves as a symbol of the town.
Going further up is the stunning Xiantong Temple where the Bronze Palace is ablaze with Buddhas, flowers and animals.
Pilgrims and tourists join monks as they climb up the steep stairs to the Pusading Temple. It is believed that the 108 steps represent the 108 earthly worries that are cast off as you scale the hillside.
From Wutai if you venture into northern Shanxi, and a magnificent mountain road will take you southwest of the city of Datong to the Heng Mountains.
Visit the ancient Taoist centre and venture into the region’s famous Hanging Temple that makes for an awesome sight. It balances perfectly into a cliff face in a narrow valley.
The 1400-year-old hanging monastery houses shrines to all three of China’s main religions: Buddhism, Taoism and Confucianism.
Be transported back in time as you try and imagine a certain atmosphere climbing across the rickety temple and if you have a head for heights then you’ll relish clambering around its dizzying wooden corridors and staircases.
Yungang Grottoes
The splendid Yungang Grottoes, divided into three zones, are another attraction in Shanxi.
A World Heritage Site in Datong, the grottoes consist of 252 caves noted for their collection of 5th and 6th century Buddhist grotto sculptures and reliefs.
Well preserved, the grottoes are the earliest and the most dazzling of several Buddhist cave sites in China.
Construction of the caves began in 453, under the auspices of monk Tan Yao, and took 50 years to complete. The 53 grottoes include about 1,000 niches with an estimated 51,000 statues including Buddhas, angels, mystics, dragons, maidens and musicians. This cave art treasure combines traditional Chinese art forms with foreign influence, particularly Greek and Indian. The motifs and carvings are spectacular. What’s even more amazing is that while some retain their plaster castings and bright paintwork, there are others that have been worn away by the forces of nature: rain and wind.
Noted for their variety and rich portrayals, sculptures range from the smallest, only two centimeters high, to the tallest – a 17-metre-high Buddha. The tallest Buddha is surrounded by many small Buddhas in Grotto No. 5, also called the Big Buddha’s Cave.
Explore the kilometre of cliff face, but Caves 5 to 13 are exceptional.
Also near Taiyuan is the ancient, walled city of Pingyao, a World Heritage Site.
One of the four best-preserved very old cities in China, Pingyao was once a financial centre and is a must-see attraction in Shanxi.
Pingyao is noted for its preservation of the many features of northern Han Chinese culture, architecture and way of life during the Ming and Qing Dynasties.
Justice cannot be done with all that’s here to see and do in this province. In all fairness, a return trip must be considered.
Rama Gaind was a guest of Helen Wong’s Tours
Details Box:
Getting there: China Eastern Airlines, (02) 9290 1148, www.flychinaeastern.com
Information: China National Tourist Office, (02) 9252 9838, www.cnto.org.au
Tour details: Helen Wong’s Tours 1300 788 328, www.helenwongstours.com
