Pictures of China

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Niangziguan 娘子关

You can tell the difference of new and old bricks

This will remain a photo only

A small part of the original wall remains more or less untouched - at least for now.

This restoration work is a bit better

This is good

 

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Niangziguan 娘子关


In 2007 a railway tunnel, the Taihang Tunnel, was open for Shitai Passenger Railway to cross the Taihang Mountains. It measures 27,848 meters and is longest railway tunnel in China and the travel time by from Shijiazhuang to Taiyuan went down from almost six hours to one hour. The new Beijing-Guangzhou High-Speed Railway also uses this tunnel

This is the 2007 old train station

Scenes by the Niangziguan 娘子关 Great Wall

 

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Here are some of the restored sections of Niangziguan 娘子关 Great Wall

 

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The Cadets

钢子入学报到
入学报到那天，迎接钢子的是他的国防生师兄，钢子扶着学长的肩膀告诉奶奶：“我是一个兵，将来就是这个样！”
钢子叫高鞍钢，来自山东济南，中国石油大学（华东）国防生。钢子从小就梦想当个兵，这是他父亲没有实现的愿望，也是83岁老奶奶的希望，今年他被录取为中国石油大学（华东）的国防生，实现了一家三代的梦想。
军训开始了，钢子所在的军训连是钢七连。穿上军装的第一天起，钢子就说要“当一个好兵”，从基本动作、队列训练、齐步走到行军拉练、跑步行进、正步走、战术基本动作，从拉歌、学习军事理论到文艺联欢、消防逃生演习、阅兵式，钢子在军训的十余天里，和他的同学一样，铸练了更加刚强的性格，思想也不断成熟。连长和他的战友都说，钢子在钢七连的表现是“钢钢的”。
军训马上就要结束了，钢子就要开始他充满期待的大学生活了。同时，作为国防生，他正以积极的状态实现“当一个好兵”的理想。


The steel sub enrollment report
Admission Registration day of national defense students to meet the steel sub-brothers, steel sub-tell Grandma: "I am a soldier, and the future is this kind of leaning on the shoulders of seniors!
The steel sub called high Angang, from Jinan, Shandong, China University of Petroleum (East China), national defense students. Steel sub childhood dreams of being a soldier, his father did not realize the desire, the 83-year-old grandmother of hope, and this year he was admitted to the national defense students of China University of Petroleum (East China), one of three generations of dreams.
Military training began, the military training of the steel sub-connected steel even seven. Uniform the first day, the steel sub said to be a good soldier, from basic movements, the training queue, in unison, went to the march zipper running road goose walking basic tactical movements, from the pull songs, learn military theory to literary get-together, fire drills, parade, steel sub in the ten days of military training, and his classmates, casting practice more strong and personality, ideology continues to mature. Company commander and his comrades say, steel sub-seven even in the steel steel steel.
The military training is coming to an end, and steel sub he is full of expectations to begin college life. At the same time as the national defense students, he was positive state "When a good soldier" ideal.

钢子练习正步走
钢子他们连开始练习正步，连长手把手给他们调整——在未来4年的学习道路上，这种“手把手”的扶持还有很多。
The steel sub Exercises toeing walking
Steel sub they even began to practice toeing the company commander hands-adjust to them - in the next four years of learning on the road, this "hands-on" support many.

行军拉练
行军拉练，钢子他们凌晨3点出发，急行军20公里看起来相当轻松。

March zipper
March zipper, steel sub 3:00, the forced march of 20 kilometers looks pretty easy.

路灯下练习
夜深了，钢子对今天的动作练习还不满意，他偷偷一个人来到路灯下练习。

Under the street light exercises
Late at night, the steel sub is also not satisfied with today's practice of moving, he caught a man came to practice under the lights.

喜欢看的书
钢子最喜欢的杂志是《格言》，这是国内第一本以提高青少年语言修养为主题的杂志。
Like to see the book
The steel sub-magazine favorite motto, "This is the first theme of the magazine to improve adolescent language accomplishment.

奖赏鸡腿
钢子对今天的表现很满意，晚饭他决定奖赏自己一只鸡腿。
Reward drumsticks
Steel sub very satisfied with today's performance, the supper he decides to reward himself a chicken.

入党申请书
军训就要结束了，钢子觉得自己成长了很多。夜深了，他打着手电庄重写下了《入党申请书》。

Join the party application for
The military training is coming to an end, steel child feel grown a lot. Late at night, his flashlight and solemn to write "join the party application for.




时间：2013-01-15 作者/图片：刘积舜
Time :2013-01-15 Author: Liu Ji Shun view more pictures of the photographer



google translation

 

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筷子 Kuaizi （chopsticks)

 

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[ahfatzia]

Yanmenguan 雁门关 in Shanxi 山西 Yanmenguan is situated on Yanmen Mountain. The east side and the west side of the mountain face each other, and hence the whole mountain looks like a huge door. The Great Wall tower here makes sure not even a fly can pass through without notice and one good soldier can take on a hundred invaders. The pass was first built during the Warribg State Period 战国时代 around 221 BC and reconstructed later by the Ming Dynasty in 1374.


Even though the map is small but clearly one can see the pass towers blocks intrusions both ways

This is the main pass. Notice only the wall has been restored, the wooden building on top has not been touched and it was erected during the first years of Ming rule in 1374.

However you can see the lower wooden placard is a new redo because of the simplified characters are being written.

This is the town on the other side of the tower that was used mainly to house the families of soldiers and supplies.

This is another tower high up on the mountain side. The restoration works here began at the end of 2010. No works are being done yet in other parts of the great wall in Yanmenguan besides here and the main pass below.

This is the other side of the tower above

No work needs to be done on this little tower

 

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Yanmenguan 雁门关 in Shanxi 山西 This section of the great wall is rather short because the strategic location of the mountain blocks the enemies from entering and only the low valleys needed protections like the ones here

This is only an interior passage

These great sections need professional restorers

 

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Yanmenguan 雁门关 in Shanxi 山西


A few ancient houses on top of the mountain

Another pass tower that blocks a low area

Unrestored watchtowers on strategic high grounds

This rammed earth wall can't stand the test of time and natural elements

So is this section. Notice a village below

 

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Yanmenguan 雁门关 in Shanxi 山西


Must be a new village from recent centuries

There were originally brick cladding covered the rammed earth interior. The story went when China went through hard times in recent centuries the local villagers simply stripped the face bricks to build their houses

The floor of the wall used solid stones

This section is original and pretty much intact

Magnificent!

 

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It is heartbreaking to see this being reduced to rubbles.

 

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浙江 嘉兴 - 西塘的美景 Beautiful Xitang, Jiaxing, Zhejiang Province
2013-01-23 10:21:56　来源：光明图片 Photo credit: Guangming News

 

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山东沂南农村学校推行碳晶低碳环保取暖
Shandong Yinan rural schools to implement low-carbon environmental protection heating carbon crystal
2013-01-23 10:07:41　来源：光明图片 Photo Credit：Guangming Net

2013年1月22日，山东省临沂市沂南县石桥联小的孩子们在装有碳晶电热板的教室里上课。从2012年起，山东省临沂市沂南县对农村学校推行碳晶电热板取暖，碳晶电热板在通电几十秒内，就能以恒定的温度对外进行传导加热。这种产品具有高效、节能、经济、无污染、寿命长和节电电等优点，目前该县财政出资309万，对28处农村学校安装或更换了碳晶电热板取暖。(杜昱&#33862

January 22, 2013, the Yinan County, Linyi City, Shandong Province, stone bridge linking small children class classroom with carbon crystal electric board. Since 2012, the Yinan County, Linyi City, Shandong Province, rural schools implementing carbon crystal electric board heating carbon crystal electric board in an energized tens of seconds can be a constant temperature external heat conduction. This product has high efficiency, energy saving, economic, non-polluting, and the advantages of long life and energy-saving electricity, county financial contribution ￥3,090,000 for 28 rural schools to install or replace the carbon crystal electric hot plate heating. (contributor: DU Yu-pao)

Google translation

 

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江苏武警综合演练“备战”新春
Jiangsu Armed Police drill "preparing Chinese New Year
2013-01-23 10:03:16　来源：光明图片 Photo: Guangming Net

2013年1月22日，江苏武警某部进行综合演练，全面提升官兵执行多样化任务的能力，确保部队遇有任务能够拉得出、供得上、救得下，积极“备战”新春佳节的到来。图为江苏武警某部官兵在指定地域列队集结。(李&#31185

January 22, 2013, the armed police unit in Jiangsu comprehensive exercise to enhance the officers and men of the ability to perform diverse tasks, to ensure that the troops in case of tasks can pull out for, save under actively preparing for the "Spring Festivalsoon. Pictured Jiangsu Armed Police officers and soldiers lined up in the designated geographic build-up. (Contributor：Lee ke)

 

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It is heartbreaking to see this being reduced to rubbles.

Yeah, that also goes to show nothing can withhold the passage of time and the destructiveness of mother nature, not even nonperishable structures like brick and mortar.