Category:

Cina

Mount Qiyun in China

by Roberto Poeti 4 February 2022

Qiyun is the fourth Sacred Mountain to the Taoist cult

Mount Qiyun literally means ‘Cloud-high mountain’, it is a mountain and national park located in Xiuning County in Anhui Province, China. It is located at the foot of the Huangshan mountain range about 33 kilometers west of the city of Huangshan and is known as one of the Four Sacred Mountains of Taoism. Known for its many inscriptions and tablets, as well as monasteries and temples, the highest point on the mountain rises to 585 meters (1,919 feet). It is a destination that I visited during my trip to China in 2014. Few tourists and mostly belonging to the Taoist cult. Several temples and monasteries (out of 33) that promote the spread of Taoist principles are found here.

4 February 2022 0 commento

The ancient water village of Xitang in China

by Roberto Poeti 26 June 2021

The Venice of China

Xitang (Chinese: 西塘; pinyin: Xītáng; lit. ‘West Pond’) is a small water village with thousands of years of history, it dates back to 700 BC. It is located in Zhejiang province, two hours by bus from the capital Hangzhou and Shanghai. The village extends over the plains, there are nine waterways that divide the city into eight areas. It is a small Venice, there are no cars, the means of transport for people and goods are boats. One hundred and four bridges connect the areas to each other. Among them, there are 11 old bridges built during the Song dynasty, including Anren Bridge, Anjing Bridge, Wufu Bridge, Yongning Bridge, etc. Also famous are Wolong Bridge, Wuchan Bridge and Songzi Laifeng Bridge built in the Ming (1368-1644) and Qing (1644-1911) dynasty. Some look like a rainbow over the river and some like a long flute. Standing on these bridges and watching the traditional boats pass by, one feels drawn into a profound meditation on the past.

26 June 2021 0 commento

Cina Time Travel

The ancient rural village of Hongcun in China

by Roberto Poeti 10 February 2021

Hongcun village in rural China

Hongcun (Chinese: 宏村, pinyin: Hóngcūn) is a village located in Anhui Province, China, near the southern slopes of the Huangshan Mountains. The history of the village is linked to the ancient Wang Clan who formed its family base there. Its birth dates back to the early 12th century during the Southern Song Dynasty. The village is located in the Anhui region, rich in rivers and lakes. The village together with others, located a few tens of kilometers from each other, has largely retained the traditional physiognomy.

10 February 2021 0 commento

Cina Time Travel

The Chinese city of Hangzhou and the tradition of natural medicine

by Roberto Poeti 21 June 2018

Report of my trip to China

Natural medicine in China in Hangzhou City

In China has spread the natural medicine that makes use of the world’s plant and animal products. Especially in Hangzhou City, capital of the Chinese province of Zhejiang, one of the seven ancient capitals of China, focuses this ancient medical practice. The Western Lake made town of Hangzhou famous all over the world, is also known for local products, like silk, and green tea.

21 June 2018 0 commento

Cina Time Travel

The Great Wall of China

by Roberto Poeti 30 July 2017

The great wall covered in snow

It is estimated that the length of the great wall is about 9000 kilometers. It was built from the 3rd century BC (about 215 BC) by Emperor Qin Shi Huang of the Qin dynasty. It’s the same Emperor to whom we owe the so-called terracotta army in Xian. Sections of the great wall were added in later centuries, but it was during the Ming dynasty in the 14th and reached its current dimensions. Bricks and stones were used rather than clay, stone and wood.

30 July 2017 0 commento

Cina Time Travel

A rich Chinese abode : The Courtyard

by Roberto Poeti 12 June 2017

Some insight into the Courtyard (Siheyuan)

The composition of the courtyard was the base model for residential buildings, palaces, temples,monasteries, family businesses and Government offices. This urban model dates back to the first part of the Western Zhou Period, therefore a history of over 2000 years. The Courtyard could be formed by one or more yards. The home of a powerful cln could have dozens of courts , and be defended by high perimeter walls .

12 June 2017 0 commento