Pictures of China

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This is another view of what at the time was the largest snow sculpture ever created – “Crossing the Bering Strait,” which depicts First Nations folk on the move. The whole sculpture measured an incredible 250 meters (820ft) in length and was spread out across a frozen lake. The man in shot is clearly tiny compared to the sculpture, which was up to 28 meters (92 ft) high in places. Wow!

This statue, seen in Harbin 2010, seems to have sprung from mythology. The world around him is crumbling, including his legs. Don’t miss the skull on the left!

This sculpture, shown at the Snow Festival in 2008, looks like a life-size rendering of a town hall. We’re not exactly sure what the reclining woman below has to do with the imposing structure, but somehow she fits in.

This photo shows how well the Harbin Ice and Snow Sculpture Festival is designed and laid out. What looks like a giant tribute to Lenin in the background is actually Canadian doctor Norman Bethune. Bethune is well known in China, as Mao devoted an essay to him. Bethune came to China in 1938 to train thousands in medicine as the medical chief of Mao’s army. Mao apparently regarded him as a hero for having brought modern medicine to China. And he does bear a striking resemblance to Lenin, as Mao himself noted.

Just look how small these people are front of the three giant heads! The fine features and detail of the forms’ headgear and hair show that snow is a brilliant artistic material – in capable hands!

For some, snow is just a winter nuisance, but looking at these images, one can’t help but feel that it was meant to be transformed into greater things – like giant sculptures! If you’re inspired to make a winter trip to China now, hurry – the Harbin Ice and Snow Sculpture Festival 2012 officially begins on January 5th!

Written by: Simone Preuss

Read more at 20 Incredible Images from China?s Giant Snow Sculpture Festival

 

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Swans‘ winter migration to China：

Yellow River Wetland, Pinglu county, north China's Shanxi province

East Lake Jiujiang county, Jiangxi Province

Photo courtesies：

Pinglu：Xinhua / Chinadaily
East Lake，Jiujiang：Xinhua/Yang Jihong

 

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The Great Wall of China - Channel 4

 

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Luohe River, Luoyang City, Henan Province

Courtesy:Xinhua/Zhang Xiaoli (photographer)

 

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Migrating seagulls in Dianchi Lake, Kunming City, Yunnan Province

Courtesy: Xinhua/Lin Yiguang (photographer)

 

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The Forbidden City, also known as the Imperial Palace, or the Palace Museum, the Forbidden City was the place where the emperors of the Ming and Qing dynasties carried out their administration and lived. Now it is open to the public as a palace museum where people can see the great traditional palace architecture, enjoy the treasures kept in the palace, and learn of the legends and anecdotes of the imperial family and the court. The Forbidden City is the largest and best-preserved mass group of palaces in China. [China.org.cn]

 

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The Front Entrance

The Gate of Divine Might, the northern gate

The East Glorious Gate ( under renovation)

The northwest corner tower

The Hall of Supreme Harmony

The sign of the Hall of Supreme Harmony

The throne in the Hall of Preserving Harmony

The throne in the Palace of Heavenly Purity

 

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The Hall of Central Harmony (foreground) and the Hall of Preserving Harmony

The Palace of Heavenly Purity

Water spouts between levels in the Inner Court prevent flooding on the higher levels.

The Nine Dragons Screen in front of the Palace of Tranquil Longevity

- – - Approximate dividing line between Inner (north) and Outer (south) Courts.
A. Meridian Gate
B. Gate of Divine Might
C. West Glorious Gate
D. East Glorious Gate
E. Corner towers
F. Gate of Supreme Harmony
G. Hall of Supreme Harmony
H. Hall of Military Eminence
J. Hall of Literary Glory
K. Southern Three Places
L. Palace of Heavenly Purity
M. Imperial garden
N. Hall of Mental Cultivation
O. Palace of Tranquil Longevity

Forbidden City - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

 

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The Great Wall of China begins at Shanhai Pass (Shanhaiguan) 山海关 Shanhaiguan District, Qinhuangdao, Hebei where it meets the Pacific Ocean. It served as a frontier of defense against tribes from Manchuria (e.g. the Khitan, Jurchen and the Manchus) where it guarded the narrow passage between Northeast and Central East China. The walls reach a height of 14 meters, and are 7 meters thick. The east, south and north sides are surrounded by a deep, wide moat. There are drawbridges over the moat. In the middle of the pass stands a tall bell tower. Written on a board that hangs above the gate is an alternate name of Shanhai Pass, "First Pass Under the Heaven" (天下第一&#20851.

This is the best place to view the Great Wall and contemplate the historical meaning of it.

 

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The restored Bell and Drum Tower

The town inside the tower where historical resided by soldiers and their families. No the Pepsi sign wasn't there 2,000 years ago

The following two pictures are unrestored parts of the Great Wall within this section

 

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We're still in Shanhaiguan 山海关

 

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Hushan Great Wall 虎山长城 is the most easterly known part of the Great Wall of China. About 600 metres of remains were excavated here in 1989. In 1992, a section of wall was renovated and is open to the public, forming a popular tourist attraction. The wall runs for about 1,200 metres[1] over Hushan (Tiger Mountain). It starts 15 km north east of Dandong city, directly beside the border between China and North Korea. The wall then climbs steeply up to a height of 146.3 metres before descending on the other side of Hushan and finishing at a car park.

The southern most entrance

My gosh, It's steep!

That's better, now I can enjoy the view of North Korea.

 

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Let's have some landscape pictures.

Zhuo Er Mountain, Qilian country, Qinghai Province:

 

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Jiuzhaigou Valley，Sichuan Province in late Autumn 2012：