DrBen.Net - China Report Weblog

 

First, Lets take you directly Back to the City of Beijing, and the starting point of DrBen's 2007 Journey through China.

Among the recently Published Reports on this City are a few that highlight the recently ended Revolutionary Century of China.

Not too many Foreigners know very much of this Part of Chinese History, including still DrBen himself, however - understanding the Revolutionary History of China is fundamental understanding the architectural History of the City of Beijing and it current State. Or at Least, for an Important part.

Possibly even more Important and Interesting, Understanding the Revolutionary Century of China also means understanding the Chinese People, and getting an insight into motivations that still drive the Chinese State, Diplomacy and Foreign Politics today.

As such, we -The China Report Staff- were forced to delve into our Books, Files and Photos, and uncover more of this historic Era and backgrounds to its events.

We are hereby Proud to present to you some recent materials among which First and Foremost our 1 Page Report on the Monument of the May the 4Th Movement in the DongCheng District of Beijing.

 Monument to the May the 4Th Monument.

 

After 1949 AD Beijing became the central City in China's far reaching Revolution, and TiananMen Square and lesser known Monuments within Beijing reflect this Great Role in History.  The May the 4Th Movement Monument is one of those small and easily overlooked Monuments that is part of Beijing's Revolutionary Era Architecture. Read the Report for Directions to the Site of the Monument as well as some historic backgrounds to the May the 4Th Movement itself. As a Bonus, to be published soon, the Report extends on the May the 4Th Movement and Revolutionary History by highlighting the Events of December the 12Th 1937 AD, when yet another Chapter of the Revolutionary Chinese Book played itself out among the stretches of Road between the May 4Th Movement Monument and ShenwuMen, the North Gate of the Palace Museum at Jingshan Park. We will keep you in suspense about this for a bit more, though.

 

Next up is in our List of Revolutionary Sites is the Small Dongdan Park in another part of the above mentioned DongCheng District. Not much can be told about the Revolution and the location of Dongdan Park, however it was constructed as an orginal part of the Modern Revolutionary Capital in the 1950s and as such has its very own "Stalinistic-with-Chinese-Caracteristics" Type Revolutionary Statue.  If you love them and are looking for these kinds of Statues, Dongdan has to be included in your List. Today, wholy other things are going on at DongDan Park, however you will have to review are 1 Page Report for this information.

Earlier in history Dongdan Park was the location of a German Colonial Hospital, which leads us further into Chinese History and to what are today the Remnants of the Foreign Legations in the Imperial City, the so called Beijing Legations Quarter.

 

The Beijing Legations and the wider City of Beijing were a main Battle-ground during the Summer of 1900 AD in what what is widely known as the "Boxer War". This aggressive Colonial War, was another important event in Chinese Revolutionary History that had evolved from the situation after the earlier supressed TaiPIng Rebellion and would lead up to the May the 4Th of 1919 AD and the resulting May the 4Th Movement. The May the 4TH Movement of 1919 AD stood at the roots of the China Communist Party, which was founded only 2 years later in Shanghai, heavily influenced by the philisophers and thinkers of the May 4Th Movement.

Now Available for you 9 Pages of the Full 11 Page Report on the Beijing (Former) Legations Quarter, its history, its former architecture and Todays remnants in this Area of DongCheng District. Browse around the Legations Quarter and get more aquainted with Beijing as a City, as well as with the rich History of the Colonial Past and the Revolutionary Century in China's Recent past.

As described withing the 11 Pages of our Report, the Boxer War was a Crude and Superstitious, however nevertheless Nationalist upstirring that was provoked by half a Century of Foreign Encroachment since the Chinese Defeat at the hand of Allied European Powers in the 1840-42 AD First Opium War. Since 1840 AD things had rapidly gone downhill for China and its Economy. The Political Legitimacy of the Ruling Dynasty, the Ching, grossly weakened by the Foreign military, technological, economical and cultural onslaught, was waning.  Challenged by Foreigners, but helped to remain in Power after yet another Opium War in 1860 AD that extorted new and painful concessions, the TaiPing Rebellion against the Ching Dynasty as well as the Foreigners, was only a forbode of the mixed feelings Chinese People had about the new world situation and their now open economy.

The Chinese had been welcoming more and more of the new influences and technology, but on the other hand were starting to stir evermore strongly against these as well.

The TaiPing Rebellion was hard to stamp out and lasted a full decade, paralyzing Chinese internal transport and Trade. A similar Rebellion, the Nian, was also extinguished with Pain. The 1900 AD Boxer Rebellion and the idea's and Political Movements that spawned from it however, would be impossible to Stop. Read More Facts and Details while exploring the Beijing Legations Quarter by browsing our 11 Page Report and Photo-Virtual Walk of this Area under Historic Protection !

 Former French Post Office and Telegraph Station at East Legation Street (Former).

 

The May the 4Th Movement, although far less known than its predecessors the TaiPing Rebellion and the YiHoTuan "Boxer" Movement, was a cornerstone Movement of great importance.  It was a fundamental Movement of Chinese Self-Emancipation equal to both, however it possesed a drastically new way of thinking. Thinking that was inspired through the influx of Foreign Ideas and News, among which the theories of Karl Marx and Friedrich Engels, as well as the ongoing events in other parts of the world. Before Communist Leadership however, first came the First Republic of China, established in the year 1911 AD.

Find More on this short-lived but fundamental Revolution in Chinese History in the next Report in this Beijing City Revolutionary Monuments Listing, the Report Pages on Zhongshan Park and Dr. Sun Yat-Sen Park, together dedicated to Chinese Culture and the Sun Yat-Sen episode in the Revolutionary Century.

 Bronze Statue of Dr. Sun Yat-Sen at Zhongshan/SunYat-Sen Park.

 

At Sun Yat-Sen Park we find an abundance of Traditional Architecture as well as plenty of Revolution and History.  Most important is the Statue of Dr. Sun Yat-Sen and his Memorial (Bai Dian), however there is much more to be found at this Park, of Revolutionary, Traditional or Historic Nature.

Dr. Sun Yat-Sen was ...

As can be read in detail in our Report on the Park and Facilities, other features include the Forbidden City Concert Hall, the Square Altar used in the Ancient Imperial Fertility Rituals as well as an abundance of Tributs to todays Members of the (local) Communist Party and the Government of the City of Beijing.

 

From Dr. Sun and his First Republic revolutionary history jumps in time to the Chinese Communist Party and the person of one Mao Zedong.

At the time of the 1921 AD Shanghai founding of the Chinese Communist Party Mao Zedong was only a lesser figure within Chinese Revolutionary ranks, but nevertheless he was a founding Member of the China Communist Party.

Earlier, at the Time of the 1919 AD Protests against the unfair Versailles Treaty concluding the First World War in Europe, Mao had travelled from Hunan Province to Beijing with his Teacher (one Professor Yang Changji, his high school teacher and future father-in-law). Eversince he had been living in Beijing. And not only that, he had landed himself a job at the Library of the prestigious Peking (Beijing) University, the national bullwark of revolutionary thoughts and philosophy. Mao Zedong had become an assistant Librarian and Li Dazhao (the writer and revolutionary thinker) was his curator.

Li Dazhao was a central Person in the May 4Th Movement. The Protests of the 1919 AD had passed but the City of Beijing and China entire were almost ready for even more Revolutionary Stirrings. Mao Zedong was infiltrating the political ranks of the Future.

 The Hutong and Former House of Mao Zedong in Beijing.

Mao Zedong lived near the Bell Tower of Beijing from May/June of 1919 AD to at least the summer of 1921 AD. Meanwhile he enlisted as a Part Time student at Peking University.

The Beijing period of his early Life shaped the future Mao Zedong for a large part. At the University and at his Home in Beijing Mao read as much as possble, and it was in Beijing that he was introduced into the (early) theories of Marxism-Leninism. Mao further Married his second wife in Beijing, Yang Kaihui the Profesors Daughter, who he later abondonned for the Revolution.

Find the former Hutong Home of later Chairman Mao Zedong in yet another section of the Dongcheng District, just North of the Ancient and Magnificent Bell Tower and its Hutong Market. Although Photos of the Street and former Home of Mao Zedong and even sound for the Report are available, we are still in the process of Publishing this Report for lack of some crucial historic information on Mao in Beijing.

 

 

This Last Report so far concludes our recent List of Reportings on Remnants of Revolution in Beijing. 

As every world citizen probably knows by now, the Ancient Imperial City of Beijing will proudly be the Host of the 2008 Olympic Games. It is also the central city in our website building so far. As such, especially this Year Beijing City & Province will be the main focus of our website.

As most regular visitors will realize, much work remains to be done to complete the online City of Beijing, a truely ambitious task.

Not only is Beijing a City of now over 16 million citizens, a mega-metropolis, furthermore in has been rapidly modernizing in the last 10 years, culminating in the 2008 and 2010 City Development Plan. For this reason, descriptions of some parts of this extensive City can only be delivered at the Very Last Moments. Among these parts of Beijing are firstly: The Beijing City Subway System, the 2008 update of which is Beijing delivered at this Time, secondly  the QianMen Area of Beijing, Dashilan Street and the Hutong of the wider areas surrounding these. All are currently under reconstruction, south of TiananMen Square. Thirdly, the Business District of ChaoYang which is in a rapid transversion from run-down Business Area into a Truely Modern CBD, again to be complete in 2010 AD. Last but in this case certainly not least should be mentioned the Beijing Olympic Venues in General, among which the Newly Opened (this week) Beijing Capital Airport Terminal and Transportation System. All of the Latter are being completed at this Time and will be covered by us Later.

Hopefully before the Opening Ceremonies of the Olympic Games, on August the 8Th of 2008.

 

As for the rest of Beijing. We have been working arduously to bring you More. Not only did the Latest Photo-Tour of China, in November 2007, include more than a weeks worth of Photography in and around the City, DrBen has plenty of Photos still to be published from the Years 2005 (few) and 2006 in China.

And then there are the Cities of Chengde, LuoYang, Lanzhou and the Chinese Section of the Silk Road.

 More Beijing and China Reports under Editing !

Updates continued in the Next Blog Item.

 

As is customary, a tradition even by now, DrBen begun with uploading his latest self-portraits in China to this website. Find them via the the DrBen in China Photos Page, or - as of today - just have a look at the photo-albums in this Blog and see the dramatic and beautiful sceneries of November 2007 buzz by.

As is also customary, DrBen did not write any text to go with his photos, yet, because it usually takes some time for his travels to sink in. A few months later, and after some extra reading, moments are usually much better for reflections upon the past.

But !  This does not mean that there isn't anything new for you to find out about and have fun  with. Please check the new and revised text with the Years 2006 Photos of DrBen in China and if you like - read the summaries of all years in China , via the DrBen in China Main menu Page or the general introduction to DrBen and his China Report.

Unfortunatly the years 2004 photos and before are still missing after a faulty systems upgrade, and remain to be repaired in some future.  As it is not a very big priority of ours to tell you about DrBen, this is expected to take some time. Possibly a lot of time .

Next Blog Item we will be having a look at the Latest Information we Published on China in the past few weeks !

We will give you a hint already ! Keywords will be Silk Road and Legations Quarter ! And that is certanly not all.

 

Hmm, yes people - it is just one of the fun benifits of adopting China as my country of interest and Chinese Culture as my try out and leisure time hobby. Eversince I did that - at least I have been getting to celebrate the New years TWICE very year !

Now, that can't be all bad. Certainly not if you are a bit familiar with the liveliness of Chinese New Year, aka the Spring Festival. 

Although this year our TV's only saw terrible snows, traffic delays, electricity outages and even food shortages on a Nationwide Basis, normally, the Spring Festival for Chinese is the Koziest time of the year. And it is not like in the West and in The Netherlands !! Not at all. In China, stores and markets are at their busiest times humming with activity. Decorations are abundant and everyone is relaxed and having a good time. The best snacks are produced, and enjoyed - whilefamilies and old friends come together, and yet for the best - opening hours seem to be near infinite. If you don't mind the crowds, shopping in Beijing in these days is a Buzzz. Make sure you make good reservations, for everything will be booked full well in advance, and you will share in a great cultural experience. Probably as much fun as the coming Olympics which will be spectacular, but also massive and exhausting. A great idea as an alternative to those crowds !

 Music of the Day: Ching Ming festival at BiangLiang River.

 

That said - this year it was a lonely Chinese New Year for DrBen since his very own Chinese Little Lady is on study-exchange, and therefor been relocated once more - to a little rural place in Cold Canada. Talk about a Cold Case ! In this regard the two of us shared in the faith of many many Chinese this Years. Poor Her !  Poor DrBen !  So, it was a meager celebration to say the least. Still, it made me a bit cheery to have a 2nd new year.

 

It is not in DrBen's caracter to go any further into this suffering that recently occured, however, and so- he and therefor China Report are already looking to the Future again.

For one - If you are in sympathy with us and , ofcourse, would like to see MORE of the China Report .... Please Please Please support us and buy the DVDs, Books and services offered through our website. Quality and satisfaction guaranteed. !! In Return, you will send DrBen on yet another discovering Tour of Cina, and will bring a Chinese Girl back to her homeland for recovery.  Now, isn't that donating to a good cause ? We will surely use your funding to extend this website as much as we can. We plan to make it a place of entertainment and leisure, as well as a place of knowledge and learning. Have Fun, see the documentaries, read the books, and share your experiences on our new Forum !!!

(More on the China Report Forum and other technical upgrades + addtions in a later Blog Item).

Secondly, as for looking to the future instead of sobbing at missed chances,  DrBen has more or less vowed (to himself) to witness the next Spring Festival in no other Place than Pingyao. This destination has long been on our list of must-visits, however twice already we have missed opportunities to go there and see, experience and photograph it all. Mind You - Pingyao is about a 16 or 18 hour train Journey from Beijing Western Station to Begin with. Although traveling options have improved remarkably in the last two years, Pingyao is still remote. Furthermore, in the area of South Shanxi Province, there is so much to see and document, that a proper preparation for the travels and planning of locations to visit is a must. Especially if you are into creating a website on the subjects. The City of Pingyao complete is a World Heritage Site comparable to the Forbidden City in Beijing ! It is a real challenge. But .. it would also be a great experience, a super-holiday, - well deserved- and an ambitious project with possible magnificent results.

Hmm, if you would help out DrBen right now he would the direct Plane to TaiYuan and do a first round of scouting and photography in the area.

Probably the next Blog Item would come from Pingyao !

  Cover of the DVD Documentary Box "Shanxi BusinessMen".

On his latest tour through China DrBen discovered a jewel of a Documentary (the "Shanxi BusinessMen"), which was very inspriring. This 6 DVD Documentary highlights the entire history of the Shanxi Traders that founded a home of commercial Dynasties, Not only Pingyao was their treasure, nearby towns are equally rich in culture, with altogether over a 1000 preserved Family Estates in South Shanxi Province alone.

The Shanxi Bussinesmen Documentary will be highlighted in another Blog Item, but as far as inspirations go. The Wu Tai Shan of Shanxi, and the City of Pingyao were already near top of the list.  Missing out on it last November/December for lack of available finance, next opportunity we get, DrBen, Caroline and China Report will descend on Shanxi Province !!

Coming month is a great time for good photography, and some healthy chinese food would be a good thing for DrBen as well.

The longer he spends behind his computer uploading, adding text and even doing some graphics design, all this while running a second business and overseeing the development of www.ChinaReport.com and now www.AsiaReport.com. The More his Health declines !!

DrBen is a workaholic when it comes to Chinese Affairs. His only rescue is his stash of fresh Chinese Tea. And ofcourse the thought of the next tour of China.....

Help DrBen on his way and participate in the creation of a great and entertaining China Community !!

Why Not ?

 

More on that and on the Latest Tour, involving Gansu province and the Taklamakan Desert, in the next Blog Item

!

After our disastrous attempt to Fly out to the far West, and start the China Report's Full coverage of the ancient silk road path in China, not all of the day was lost. On the contrary ! Stay with this Blog and find out some of the lesser known details on this ancient area of Beijing. While still not every arriving tourist is familiar with Dashilar - Big Railings Street in the Xuanwu District, below a small Report on our Visit to the Birthplace of Chinese Cinema.

Yes, it was just about here, in the year 1905 AD, that the First Ever Chinese Film was created !

Dashilar for 600 years already has been among the Top Places to do your shopping in Beijing (See - China Report - Beijing - Xuanwu District Introduction & Menu). Next to Wanfujing, now once again the Most Exclusive Shopping Street in the City of Beijing, Dashilar has always been the other choice. Although recently somewhat lost to the eye of the many visitors to Beijing, due to the modernity and the Glitter and Glamour of revived Wanfujing, Dashilar had it all, and still does ! Especially when one is looking for a good bargain !

Among the better known establishments of Dashilar Street, first of all the TongRenTang Medical Store, established by one of Beijing's first succesful commercial Families - the TongRenTang's. The store must be one of the most famous addresses to get your herbal medicines and/or engage in an on the spot lesson in Chinese Traditional Medicines (TCM). Looking for Ginseng ? Get it fresh and in abundant varieties at the TongRenTang Store !

Other stores include the Beijing Silk Store, with a longstanding reputation in quality silks, the large Ten Fu Tea House, not an original item in the street, but certainly for years now a welcome addition, and lately - the Da Guan Lou Cinema.

Although the original Da Guan Lou Cinema was lost in history, recently - it has been reopened at Dashilar East Street !

In 1905 AD .... -incomplete, more follows

 

Da Guan Lou Cinema, No. 36 Da za lan Street, QianMen Area of Xuanwu District in Beijing. HomePage / URL: http://www.zhdyy.com.cn

When one is thoroughly on the Prowl in Beijing as Doc Ben was the last week, it is not always easy to return to base and still have enough energy to keep a Blog and describe the wonders of the Day. Surely not! As Doc Ben has a habit of browsing through every nook and cranny of Beijing's Palaces and Many Temples, his adventures are many, exciting and yes- rather exhausting. At the moment Ben has two fine blisters on his feet just to prove it !

Luckily, after 7 days of long walks, fabulous sites and -hopefully- magnificient photos, Doc Ben was supposed to Fly out to the West, but .. did not. He missed his Flight due to a variety of reasons and factors conspiring against him.

But - there is an up-side to everything, or at least - a true explorer always tries to find it. Today, belatedly, instead of Photos from Gansu Province, instead an overview of the passed week and some updates of what has changed in Beijing in the last year. I think you could say - we have good news on the New Beijing !

First of All - An update on what will be coming to your computer in the period leading up to the Beijing Olympics in August of 2008.

As the hard work progresses, Doctor Ben once again moved swiftly but accuratly passed and through a number of Beijing Landmarks & Monuments on his way to the "completion" of the Virtual City of Beijing. The results were many. Here a quick list of what is new and now recorded in 12.2 megapixel photo:

The Chongwen District - as you may have noted on our Website in the last few months, although neighboring Xuanwu District and most of the (Huge!) Imperial Palace (aka Forbidden City) have been introduced and described for you , the Chongwen District, as yet is incomplete and without proper description.

On reason for this was the fact that Dr. Ben works near 70 hours and more a week, and therefor sometimes lacks the Time to do some proper writing. The other reason, much more practical and logical, was that the Chongwen District - when we left in Summer 2005- has just started on it's huge overhaul, pulling the District into Modernity. As a direct result of this, anything we might have written and uploaded for you, would have been outdated severely by this Time.

The good news on the Chongwen District - plans and construction of the changes to Chongwen District are now reaching their final stages and shape, enabling us to to give you directions for years to come.

Recorded in November 2007 in the Chongwen District were - the Yong Ding Men, former South Gate of the Qing Dynasty wall surrounding both Chongwen- and Xuanwu Districts. Next up - the nearby (walking distance) former Altar of Agriculture, which is the Place where the Emperor symbollically tilled a piece of Land, and performed Rituals for an auspicious season and abundant harvest.

Also among the Treasures of the District, a revisit of the World Cultural Heritage Site, the most sacred Shrine in China, The Tiantan - or Temple of Heaven. In the past, due to hardware failure, some of the photos of this magnificent Park had been lost to The China Report, however - in the past week we returned to one of the lesser wonders of the Park, the double-eaved Pavilion, and recorded it once again for you and History. This Time in 12.2 Mega-Pixels !!

Last but not least in our listing for Chongwen, a return to the Chongwen Fire God Temple on West Flower Market Street, including the Old Mosque, the Center of Worship in what was once a Muslim Hutong Area in Beijing. Both holy shrines have recently been fully restored, as we hope to show you as soon as is humanly possible.

Next - the Haidian District of which so far we have been unable to show you much.

This will change soon ! Among the Monuments and Landmarks of the Haidian District recently covered, first of all - a Return to Beijing Zoo, home of the Panda's!

Although this Time we did not enter the Zoo, we did make an effort to show you more of the surrounding area which includes Xizhimen Subway Station and the still new western starting point of recently opened Subway Line 13, which can be dubbed the Olympic Line. From the West, line 13 arches through Haidian District to pass by all the Olympic Venues and newly built Stadiums for the Beijing 2008 Olympics and there-after.

After seeing this, we returned to our more traditional subjects and made our way up to the Great Bell Temple. The Great Bell Temple is the Home of the 6.75 meter solid bronze Yongle Bell - the largest and heaviest ancient Bronze Bell in China. Go have a look for yourself if you are in the area, as the Great Bell Temple offers much more than what one would expect upon entry ! If you are Fan / Enthousiast for Ancient Bronze Bells and Chinese Achievements in Bronze Casting - you mUst visit this Temple ! Many of the finest Bells in China have been brought together and are on display at this Fine Place.

Other future photo-laced Haidian Reports will further include - the Altar of the Earth, located just outside the 2nd Ring Road across from YongHeGong - Lama Temple (Part of Dongcheng District).

And there is More ! Next - The Palace Museum aka the Forbidden City which can easily be counted as a District all in itself !

Here China Report already covered an unprecendented percentage of the Palace, making the first Virtual Palace Museum on the World Wide Web (See China Report - Beijing). However, even we did not cover all, yet, as we are speaking about the largest preserved group of wooden buildings in the World. Therefor we had a return to the Palace in the Hope to Score yet more magnificent photos of this Timeless Palace and Wonder. And we succeeded !!

Coming soon to your Computer ! Unique Photos of the Palace of Peaceful Old Age, better known as the retirement Palace of Great Qing Emperor Qianlong.

Photos will later be available through our automated Photo Galleries and prints - even in wall size or larger, can be purchased (then) through www.chinaphoto.eu, our Future Stock Photography Pile on China.

And still there is more ! Before partially incomplete, Doc Ben further made hard efforts to complete the Full Introduction to the Dongcheng District of Beijing. The Dongcheng District, already much photographed beforehand, will be enriched with even more photos !

Additions in the coming months will involve the Confucius Temple, shrine to the world renowned and fabled wise-man from the far Past. Other important visits in Dongcheng - the Dr. Sun Yat Sen memorial Park. Once part of the outer Imperial Palace during much of the Ching Dynasty, Sun Yat Sen Park, now is a large shrine to the Father of the Chinese Revolution, the unsurpassed Dr. Sun Yat-Sen, and ofcourse his equally unique wife and later widow - Madame Soong Ching Ling.

The park is a large and pleasurable garden and is usually good for a great getaway from the Tourist Crowds and traffic noise of the North End of TiananMen Square. Go there and be surpised, or ... wait around and have a virtual visit through your computer and our website !

Last Up in this week's Photo-Coverage of the Wonders of Beijing - the beforehand nearly undescribed and un-photographed Business District of Beijing - ChaoYang.

In ChaoYang one can find one of the Last Imperial Altars of the far past, the Altar of the Sun.

The Sun Altar and Temple are located at Ritan Park in Central ChaoYang District. Although now counted as one of the lesser wonders and smaller Parks of Beijing, naturally the Virtual City of Beijing would not be complete without it. Furthermore, covering this Park gave us an excellent chance to browse through Beijing's Embassy District, scout out the fenced off but large North Korean Embassy in Beijing and from there move on to DongYue Temple.

You may not have heard of the latter at all, but we can inform you that DongYue is once more, a splendid Temple in Beijing. And not only that, it is one of the most popular and most active Taoist Temples in Beijing. Find the Father of all Taoist God's in control of his many many subjects at the DongYue Temple, also known as the Place of the Beijing Folklore and Folk Art Museum. It is both a worthy place to offer your prayers (Father God is the Home God of Tai Shan Holy Mountain in Liaoning Province) and a great place to discover more and marvel about the interesting Folk Arts of Beijing. Toys abound, paper-cuttings, ofcourse the un-missable Beijing Kite and more joyous items await.

More of the ChaoYang District will be covered tomorrow, on what will hopefully this Time be our last shooting day in Beijing.

That is- for the coming two weeks !!

 

As always - Doc Ben shall return to Beijing to complete his Gargantuan Volunteer Task !

A monks Job ???