So much for working another night and another week on perfecting your Online experience with DrBen.Net and ChinaReport.com.  As for all the earlier news -as Blogged here,  DrBen and his crew are back from the Technical Front and have resumed working on what is most urgently at hand:  filling the many gaps inside what is otherwise a pretty exciting and -we bet and hope- useful website for those who want to travel in China and/or are just generally interested in the history and culture.

 

All of this brings us back to our earlier promise, to slowly review some of the Items that were published on Drben.Net over the last many months, resulting -so far- in a Number 538 thousand 218  website ranking worldwide (according to www.alexa.com). 

After revealing some of the new additions on The Great Wall of China (see this blog), Let's now have a peek at one of the other sections of the China Report website and turn the page to China's 56 Ethnic Minority Groups. Much has happened in this section since it first appeared, roughly around one year ago.

First decsribed were the Manchu & Tungusic People, who are Tribes and Ethnic Groups who reside mainly in Manchuria or North-Eastern China. Then came the Mongolians, -a people who can't be ignored, if only for the huge troubles they have managed to put the Han Chinese through in their lenghty mutual history-, and subsequently a number of the 10 Islamic Ethnic Groups of China.

From here, DrBen has moved on with the daunting task of reviewing a considerable lot of other peoples in China.

For instance the latest groups to join the Online Library at China Report: All minority groups in China of European Blood, then the Korean or Chaoxian Ethnic Group, and so far the latest; the Kirgiz (Kirghiz or Kyrgyz) and The Kazakh, both nomadic and semi-nomadic peoples residing in very remote and rough regions in the far West of China. A Third group described in Maps, Fotos and video are the smallest Ethnic Group in China, the Lhoba of Tibet. The Lhoba are an unusual group who have only recently been truly connected to  modern civilization. Regardless, helped by Government incentives and international donors the Lhoba have grown in number and are adapting rapidly to the new opportunities given to them. Nevertheless, for those who would like to see the Lhoba in their most original state, today is definitly a better to travel to their remote home than tomorrow.

Mind you, the Dalai Lama may have some cause to complain on the loss of traditional Tibetan Culture within Tibet, however the fate of the Lhoba, a small people who used to be in the lowest drawer of Tibetan Civilization, is quite another story. Not only are there far fewer Lhoba, their ways are completely unique and adapted to life in forrest and on mountain slopes.  They in turn are on the verge of assimilating with mainstream Tibetan Culture and may be lost forever......

 Anyway, there is much more to be known about the Lhoba and a visit to their homeland would make for a remarkable trip and an unforgettable experience. That much is clear when reading their story.

Find the Lhoba described inside The China Report (Arts & Culture - Ethnic Minorities Section) and who knows- you might travel to Lhuoyu Region of South-Eastern Tibet where they make their homeland, and smoke a peace pipe with them yourself !

 

For any traveling and studying purposes, or just for interest and fun,  please make use of the Map of Language Area's in China (PRC) - China Ethno-Liguistic Map (1964AD) which was added recently and now holds most (but not yet all!) ethnic minority regions in China, including Autonomous Prefectures and Autonomous Counties. This Map makes navigation among the various stories and maps of the Minority Groups of China much easier, more logical and - in fact pretty smooth.

Enjoy our "preview" if you will while DrBen, supported by Staff, attempts to make another huge dent in the long list of 56 minority peoples' in the huge Peoples' Republic of China !!

 

Browse around DrBen.Net to discover what it looks like in DrBen's famous "Cartoon"-style of web-publishings, or simply head directly to the new website on the small and untill very recently highly reclusive Mountain Kingdom of Bhutan. It just became a constitutional Monarchy (as are The Netherlands) and is now opening up to the world just a Tad Bit....... As close personal friends and perhaps, year-long followers have come to know- usually that is enough for DrBen to get in- and around. Afterall, DrBen has a unique method of personal relations, a lot of cultural respect and understanding, and some other Talents. Not to mention the powerful influences of the 9Th Cloud Buddha, who seems to keep re-appearing on his long Road and throughout his arduous struggles.

So, here we go with the first preparations in case of any such event as an opportunity to tour Bhutan.

 

Find Bhutan as by DrBen under the Domain Name: http://www.BhutanReport.com.

The Kingdom of Bhutan has now officially become part of DrBen's Theatre of Operations and .. In-Shallah -God willing -Site Visitors and Twitter Birds can follow DrBen via Google Latitude, GMaps & Twitter while he makes his way about the Peoples Republic of China, Bhutan or Mongolia, or perhaps even Korea ! For now-as published on this Blog- focus will be on The Great Wall of China in 5 Provinces and 1 Autonomous Region. Other presumable lenghty stop-overs on the 2009 Itenerary so far include Yanbian Korean Autonomous Prefecture of Jilin Province (China), and the Nation of North Korea (DPRK), two out of not two but Three Koreas as you will Discover.

Revisit this Blog, Tune in to ChinaReportcom1 on Twitter and See that upcoming soon in the next Months of 2009 - AND DO SUPPORT US (so we can go to the MAX !!).

One can buy books, click and make use of google supported advertizement links, send in donations, send in cash money, diamonds, gold bars. Whichever thing you'd like to give and SEE this project move your computer, DrBen and urself as never before. LIVE.

(Ok- as far as that goes -usually DrBen is left to front the cash himself.)(Its a hard world for artistic types, what can ya' say)

 

Meanwhile, we will be completing the inclusion of some more G-Maps (I-slang) and adding the Nation of Nepal under the Name Nepal Report at www.NepalReport.com.

Other site upgrades may go up without Notice.

Keep browsing and discovering then, as usual with DrBen at DrBen.Net.

BREAKING TECH NEWS: DrBen, DrBen.Net & www.ChinaReport.com join TWITTER.

After being among the first Europeans to join up for the try out of Google Latitude, the new Google GPS Tracking system for ur mobile device, DrBen surges on the wave of technological innovations recently introduced.  In anticipation of plans for the coming Months, DrBen goes LIVE AND MOBILE and joins TWITTER !

(Image: DrBen among Tulips in his native "Holland". The Worlds Most Beautiful Flower Park at Easter, how is that for a Relax ??)

Finds us under the twitter name: ChinaReportcom1, and URL: http://twitter.com/ChinaReportcom1.

Mind You: ChinaReportcom1 represents DrBen's Personal Mobile Device, which will be featured in the year 2009's Travels and Reports on the Peoples Republic of China, or any other Reporting regarding Chinese Culture and matters. ChinaReport1 can be followed not only LIVE via Twitter and semi-live via this BLOG. Join up with DrBen and ChinaReport at Google Latitude (http://www.google.com/ig) and track DrBen & ChinaReportcom1 Device using GPS on the Google Map of China.

 

Already Mid-April in 2009 AD, and after a short & very necessary Easter Holiday,  DrBen returns refreshed to his (Favorite) Life's Mission - The China Report.

Some very sunny and pleasant spring days have passed, among things seeing DrBen return to his Dutch roots as well as exploring Old "Guanxi" Connections in the Political Capital of The Netherlands, The Hague.  Many new plans  and idea's to be developed have been set up for the coming few Months,  including the phased introduction of new system including google maps, more emphasis on e-commerce and a broader line of products to add to your information and our China Report Stories, a new expedition to The Peoples Republic of China and then some.

Depending on YOUR donations and your help in funding the China Report Project, plenty of new subjects and site-additions will pass the Review in April and May of 2009. So, stay "tuned".

 

Meanwhile, DrBen and his China Report Staff hope you had an equally pleasant and enjoyable Easter Holiday.

We now Return from a very lenghty absence to Update The China Report MSN Blog.  Although this Blog was inactive for months on End, many new information pages have been created inside DrBen.Net and www.ChinaReport.com.  Starting with the Latest, Largest and Most Popular subject- The Great Wall of China, in the coming weeks we will attempt to Track Back in Time and provide a small overview of the Best New Publications involving Dunhuang and JiayuGuan on The Silk Road in Gansu Province, overviews of the Manchurian Provinces of Liaoning and Jilin, added Maps of China, some useful Reports on various Ethnic Minorities in China and their Locations and other worthwhile additions.

Let's Have a Look.

 

To Kick Off our journey back in Time at DrBen.Net let's first focus on the awe inspiring Grandeur of one of the largest engineering feats in ancient Chinese and Human History, the construction, maintainance and defense of The Great Wall of China.

As described in our Recently Updated Introduction to this Historic Marvel, the current day remnants of the Chinese Wall date mainly from the Ming Dynasty Era (1368 AD - 1644 AD) and stretch across an amazing variety of terrains, climates and ethnic boundaries. All of these make China's Great Wall unique and contribute to the might of its story, the fascinating story of Chinese Civilization , the Inner Kingdom and its Walled Borders , The Nomadic Tribes and the ancient Silk Road.

(Photo: Great Wall of China at Luowenyu , as Photographed by Willam Geil in 1908 AD)

 

 Some parts of the current day Great Wall of China have been restored and many locations can be visited today. 

Having 1st visited China's Renowned Wall in Januari of the Year 2000 at Badaling near Beijing, it took until November and December of 2008 AD when DrBen went almost  the entire length, all the way from China's Capital City at Beijing to Dunhuang Oasis between the Gobi Desert and the Taklamakan Desert (Takla-amakan) to finally take up the considerable challenge of covering the venerable old wall and so make his personal Tribute to it.

In the new Great Wall of China Report, we travel the length of the Wall from the oldest sections that date to the Han Dynasty Era (206 BC - 221 AD)  far away in the Western Deserts, on a splendid journey through 5 Northern Provinces and One Autonomous Region, to the Eastern Coast at Qinhuangdao in Hebei Province.

 

So far available for readers to explore: two quite spectacular Great Wall of China locations in Gansu Province - Dunhuang Area and Jiayuguan Area Great Wall.  Then skipping over several Wall locations in Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region there are completed Reports on three Great Wall of China Sites in Shaanxi Province - Yanchi, Dingbian and Yulin Fortress . Further Eastward Three more Great Wall of China sites in (North) Shanxi Province - Pian Guan- where the Great Wall meets the Yellow River, Yanmen Guan - the Wild Goose Pass and Pingxing Guan - The Flat Pass and site of the Pingxing Victory over the Invading Japanese in 1937 AD.

The Latter two Passes belong to an Inner Layer of the Great Wall. The Great Wall of China has multple layers, especially around Beijing,  a concept and fact not everyone has yet heard about.  Surely, this is a subject we can help clarify !

Last but not least there are several sections of The Great Wall of China in Hebei Province already available with text and (some) photo and video-material. Have Fun browsing these new Report Pages while the China Report Staff works around the clock to include all available source information and publish the best and most complete info on more Great Wall of China Locations.

(Image: Map of China, the Path of the Great Wall and its relation to Cities, Nations, Rivers and the

 Pathway of the Ancient Silk Road in China.)

 

In the next phase, later this year China Report will travel back to China and take you even further, to the (almost) very Eastern End of the Ming Dynasty Great Wall (Overview Map), the Great Wall of Tiger Mountain, overlooking the Yalu River near Dandong in Liaoning Province on the North Korean Border.

Last but not Least in November DrBen will return to his 2008 steps and make a lenghty tour of Gansu Province, planning to visit a number of Great Wall Sites in Gansu and possibly Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region, an ethnic enclave locked between deserts and nourished by The Great Yellow River (Huang He). Changes of Plan may come at any Time, naturally, as DrBen enjoys wild travel best.

As the most popular subject regarding China on The Internet, DrBen has long felt he had been given too little Time and Opportunity to honor The Great "Wan Li Chang Cheng", the 10.000 Li Long Wall.  Follow the below story and learn some facts on The Great Wall, discover some Great Scenery and Travel with DrBen -or on your very own-  using the internet, our information and perhaps your very feet, to GO AND uncover romantic hints of the mystique of the Silk Road.

 

(Images: Great Wall of China on a Steep Cliff at a (so-far) un-identified location.

Link: Guide Book - enjoy China to its Fullest, available from our Online Store)

 

For early birds and eager Travelers who cant wait to get on the Road and see the Great Wall in China for themselves,  please use our recently prepared Listing of GPS Coordinates of Great Wall of China Locations, to plan your very own Mission.

In Fact: Anyone can Bring their Blackberry or other Mobile Device along on their Trip to China, can join up with DrBen at Google Latitude, and enjoy the 2009 AD Season traveling in China while sending your Reports and Video's in to The China Report and your own Blog, FaceBook Page or any other online digital media you may prefer.

Join the Party and LINK UP your Blog or Website and MOBILE DEVICE to www.ChinaReport.com or parts thereof.

Help create a document on The Globally Famous World Cultural Heritage Chinese Great Wall and have the trip of a life-time in the same go ! The Media? That is YOU !

 

Next up: "Official Opening" of  our section on Gansu Province in West China, currently under development.

 

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 ???

 

 

Yes certainly, a return to Beijing for me is one of the best treats possible. This great City, this barren, dusty and dry land... China, Beijing, the Chongwen- and Xuanwu District Hutong, it has become home-soil to Doc Ben.

The First announcement of good times always comes at dawn. Then, after hours in the tin can surrounded by darkness,  when the blackness lifts and one looks outside the big boeings porthole, suddenly - to be confronted with such a vastness.

This Time, that first look outside was somewhere on the far North-Western Borders of the country. There, from 11.000 Meters high,  looking down through a frosted window, one can make out a landscape to always remember.  Passing fast overhead, down below lie dusty mountains, high plains and a eery emptyness, or so it seems.  There are few lights, if any. Road are only small very thin lines pointing somewhere.  What most impresses are the snow capped mountain peaks and seemingly endless and empty landscape covered by veil of blueish mist. This is the (former) Silk Road !

 

Soon, flying far North but with an excellent view, the route passes by the Tarim Basin, home of the southern and northern routes of the far western silk road in China. The Tarim, China's third largest river is nowhere to be found. Only traces remain after a dry and hot summer season and the aircraft is too high and too far north to pick up the details. From 11.000 meters one only sees but a vast dust- and mist-shrouded valley stretching due west. Due West untill the magnificient Qilian Shan range closes the gap, meeting up with the Tibetan Plateau more to the South. 

Qilian Shan, the snowcovered and gleaming high peaks, used to be the loyal Northern Guards of the "Mouth of China".

Somewhere down below behind those magnificient snow covered tops must be the small town of Dunhuang, once an oasis announcing the safety of Chinese controlled lands. Soon, Doc Ben will be on the ground out-there, making the distances to try and cover it all i just 7 days !

 

Dunhuang is nowhere to be found in the vastness far off.  Quickly, the aircraft passes on to Mongolia - heading due west-south-west. More wilderness and brown dust covered lands enclosed by endless roughness of hills, mountains, salty ponds and ... nothing so it seems.

The monotonous landscape is only broken by the huge Lake Baikal, on the order of Russia and Mongolia. Then ??

A little bit of patience will bring everyone down into the inviting morning sun of Beijing. The still rapidly changing,  and always magnificient Capital City of this vast land.

 

Beijing - The New Face of an Old City ...

More coming in the next Blog Item !!

 

In the coming month - we will return to Beijing, the Capital of China and in the coming year the Host to the No Doubt impressing Olympic Games.

Tickets have just gone on sale and already the system is warped into overload ! Mind you .. this promises all kinds of things ..

In Beijing we will be covering some of the Corners we have not yet seen, as well as focus on the newly completed Beijing Subway Transportation System and ofcourse .. the New Olympic Architecture and New Capital Airport Terminal. We shall have to see where to go exactly, but no doubt a lot of hiking will be done and many a new treasure will be found.

 

After trying to "complete" (impossible!) our Coverage of the City of Beijing, take to the air and follow DrBen to the Far West on his partial tour of the Silk Road.

First destination on the Silk Road will be another location of ancient Buddhist Statues, the small and mythical city of Dunhuang with it's World Heritage 4Th Century Mochao Caves. Dunhuang is located in Gansu Province, and lies at the top of the Hexi Corridor, once the pathway to safety withing the Inner Lands of China.

A sudden lush oasis in between the barren mountains and deadly sands of the Gobi Desert, Dunhuang was noted in the Marco Polo Book as a location of Caves with 1000's of Buddha Statues and many other wonders. It was the home of watermelon , fresh fisheries and abundant crop.

There were and  are many other wonders to explore too. We expect to make a lenghty visit of the famed romantic crescent shaped pool and nearby towering sand-dunes. Then there is the Sanwei Holy Mountain Range with it's Guanyin Well, the Yangguan Pass and South Lake in the South and another Pass, this one on the outer layer of the Great Wall of China, in the North. We wil sure have plenty of adventuring and photography to do !

(Click for --> Drawn Map of Dunhuang City & Area, for a better idea of the plans !)

 

After a week-long stay in this very remote place, Dr.Ben shall head of to the South-East, to discover more of Gansu Province and document the Fortress of JiaYuGuan, in history known as the "Mouth of China" and the end of Civilization. Here lies the last Fortress Stronghold to Garrisson and protect the Great Wall of China, naturally a must visit for the China Report.

 

After JiayuGuan, there is no further plans and Doc Ben may end up anywhere. Lanzhou, Xi'An, Luoyang, or ?? There is really too much to see and photograph in China, so there is always a return necessary !!

We will send our last Blog Item from Beijing when we finish up our Tour with some serious china business there, and reorganize the delivery of our Online Store Items (There have been some small problems, which shall be resolved).

 

So, after the Buddhist Statues of Datong in Shanxi (Yungang) and LuoYang in Henan (LongMen), we will now go and visit the Famous Mochao Caves !

Stay tuned and revisit this Blog in the coming month and get a small taste what life on the road, in this case the Silk Road, is with Dr. Ben in China.

 

 

 

We had promised to take you on a wild Tour of the City of Beijing, while we get our site (more or less) ready for next years Olympics in that city. As you may have infered from our Beijing Report and other pages in our website, we had great urges to inform you on several places of interest we still need to cover. However, the abundance of such historic places and sites in Beijing made us bog down in indecision   on what to write on first.

How to create order out of Chaos ?

After some careful deliberation, browsing around the web for info and a spark of inspiration & insight, we then decided to take you on an entirely different course. Afterall, how take you - the reader/viewer properly on a Tour of the City of Beijing, without having some insight into the City Lay-out and ofcourse, the best and most handy ways to get around the City ?!

We needed to get you on your way around the City first !

 

As a result, last weeks stint of writing produced a long overdue but very comprehensive and complete introduction to the Beijing City Public Transportation System.  As our more loyal visitors may know, we had already written an introduction to Beijing Busses and an Introduction to Beijing Taxi's much earlier, the latest additions include information Beijing Western Railway Station, and, as mentioned, a comphrensive overall explanation of the Beijing City Transportation System.

As the planned Transportation System of the larger Beijing Mega-Metropolis is nearing the completion of it's current stage (yes, there will be more .. ), you guessed it - in preparations for the August 2008 Olympic Summer Games of Beijing, it was finally possible to give you a good overview the current travel options within the City of Beijing. Before, changes went too fast to keep up with !

 

In short the new know-hows on city travel in Beijing: The Beijing International Airport (Capital) will open a brandnew terminal on a new location, including a suway station and line connecting directly to the Olympic Park and Venues as well as and additional directly into ChaoYang Business District. The new Terminal itself will be an architectural masterpiece of sorts, a grandiose piece to show-off the new Beijing.

Next additions to the city transport system are the opening of several new metro/subway lines and a multitude of new stations. We will bring you a more detailed guide to the new system, after the latest line No. 10 opens (partially) in September. For now the main travel tips remain that the yellow line has been connected via XizhiMen Station to connect to the Summer Palaces. In the past one needed to take a taxi there, an organized tour or the bus line. Now one can reach near the Summer Palace by subway. A much more attractive outing. Further line extensions include the subway to ChaoYang in the East and Fengtai in the West. In Both directions lines have extended to reach the outermost districts, among things to make it possible for commuters to reach the city by car, then travel around the city by subway/metro.

Other news on the subway follows.

Next up the Trains and Train Stations of Beijing. Loyal viewers have long been waiting for that and finally we can give you some decent and useful information which is up to our standards. With these tips you can reach destination, no doubt. Check out the overall Introduction to the Beijing City Public Transportation System for the most basic information, including the correct station to reach the Great Wall of China at Badaling. It is XizhiMen, The North Station. Go to our report page on the Beijing Western Railway Station for very detailed information on how to get tickets for the Qinghai-Tibet Railway. Beijing is the First Station on this very interesting train-ride to the City of Lhasa in Tibet and the roof of the world !

The information on Beijing's Main Station, Beijing Zhan, in south-east corner of the Dongcheng District has not been added yet, but will follow in the coming weeks.

 

Meanwhile there have been many more additions on and around our website. Perhaps you have already found some. If not : Have a look at our Introduction to Hebei Province, which is the Province of China that Beijing City Province is part of.  For some good first information on the province, read the story on this page and browse around the many maps. This general information page gives a good idea and backgrounds to the Great Wall of China of the Ming Dynasty and includes a map of it's shematic path.  And .. if that is not enough for now.

In those seven months of absence before the last Blog Item, we also added the same on Shanxi Province. Find an Introduction Page to this Province now available inside www.chinareport.com too ! For even more information and the best details on Shanxi Province, turn the page and read through our Full Historic Introduction to Shanxi Province. Shanxi's most famous landmark, 4Th Century Statue remnants from the Silk Road known as the Yungang Caves and the nearby City of Datong have also been partially covered by us.

Enjoy the many photos and growing texts! We provided some easy listening music here and there to make your reading a more comfortable and fun experience. More Beijing Additions in the next Blog Item !

 

Photo 1: Schematic of the Beijing Subway in November 2004. A Northern Ring connects to Summer Palace than back Via Olympic Park to the City Center. More has been added since !

Photo 2: Doc Ben at Shen Wu Men, the Forbidden City North Gate. Drive and Park your bicycle anywhere and go photograph and see Beijing !

 

By now it has been no less than 7 more Months since we've updated our China Report-Blog  with a New Years Item in which we intended to give you the latest in our Huge List of uploads to the Virtual City of Beijing and other segments of our China Report-website. We were further supposed to explain to you about another wave of additions, completely transforming our website in another huge and even more ambitious blow, which was to include a total systems upgrade.

We were also planning to make this blog once more an interesting and Fun Journey through China, and a way to find your way to our latest presentations, while leaning back in your armchair to enjoy the views.

However -

Sadly - again we failed in this. It is fair to say we were all overwhelmed by the pace in which both our sources and our technical-options keep expanding, exponentionally it seems.

Today, another attempt to update you on the latest additions to our website, plus ! step-by-step, in following Blog Items a good introduction to our Projected Plans for the period between Right-Now, and the Date of Januari 1, 2008, which will open the Olympic Year for the City of Beijing.

 

 

But First below - a message from our combined China Report Staff.

Dear Viewers - Please don't ever think the China Program has not been in progress every day, in one way or another.

It certainly was - as a matter of fact we have found so many new sources, and had so many new opportunities to think about and deal with, that our entire Team was flooded for a very long Time.

After the Storm was over, it had already turned into Summer and Doc Ben, our Mission Leader, had to be sent away for a desperatly needed Holiday and break from his endless writing, uploading, sorting and directing.

But nevermind that. We love the "work", and the China Mission is a sacred one to Us. In this respect we Dare say: "You ain't seen Nothin' , yet". So yes, you are once more invited to join us regularly and find out what we will do to amaze you. We PROMISE - it will be quite a bit, and it will be considerably better and even more interesting than anything we have shown to you so far !!

X - and Greetings from The China Report Staff !

 

As mentioned in the earlier "New Years Blog-Item", we wanted to inform you on the many additions and uploads to the Beijing Segment of our website - we start again in the Next Blog-Item. The Journey will start in Beijing, but it will expand into a mission through North-China !!

With the End of the Year coming in sight this Blog has finally returned to Full Function, sounding in our China Report End-Sprint to the New Year of 2007 ! We welcome all our past viewers back as we return from lenghty absence during the summer and remainder of the year 2006. During this long period you may have not heard a single word from us through this blog, but mind you - behind the screens The China Report has doing some hard work in an all out effort to complete our site, especially our information on the City of Beijing. To make navigation and understanding easier we been undergoing some major changes and many new photos, and even texts have been added. Work on more texts is ongoing. Our Online Store has gained some unique products only offered through this website and company. Next for 2007, completely new and upgraded Photo-Galleries at www.ChinaPhoto.Eu offering you photo- and even poster prints of all our best Photos, and more.

Read this Blog Item to find out what has been added the last 6 months, to hear about some of travels and our sufferings, and most of all, what will be coming these last few days of the Year, before we truely blast off in 2007.

Let's see what we have created for you so far.

 

Starting you out with todays latest photo upload - The Chairman Mao Zedong Former Residence in Beijing nearby the City Bell-Tower, and some late additions to Dashilan Street and nearby hutong we lead you ...

DrBen and his China Report Staff would like to take this special Day to Thank every single visitor we have welcomed this year at www.drben.net / China Report.com and wish them a very Merry Christmas !!

Many Thanks to all of you 70.000+ for your support in the last 12 months, and you bet -we shall return for a smashing 2007, bringing you more of China as never before. Stay Tuned for our advance to the Beijing Olympics in August of 2008 !!!

 As I was already very well aware, it seems there has gone something wrong with the protection of the Beijing Hutong as proud Beijing Cultural Relic. As advertized widely and quite conspicuously at the so-called "Beijing Planning Exhibition" (at QianMen Dongdajie, located east and behind the QianMen Old Railway Station) the Hutong Area's between ChongwenMen and QianMen (dubbed QianMen Hutong), some parts of which date back to the 12Th Century AD, are -officialy- to be protected as Cultural Relics, preserving the heart and soul of the old cty of Beiing. This was the situation as we visited the Beijing Planning Exhibition Hall for ChinaReport.com in November 2004. It seemed that one of my favorite parts of Old Beijing, the Hutong Area's south of TiananMen Square, would remain what they were - a great place to dwell in, enjoying the sites, coming across scenes of children playing, of old pensioners tending their bird or flower-garden, and all the Hutong groceries that are available in the tiny Streets. Your fresh chinese coal, many many fruits , fresh and live fish from your neighborhood stall. Ah - I can almost hear the coal peddling rickshaw Men calling. Untill late in the evening a serene athmosphere permeates these quiet lanes and one feels protected from this modern city by the warmth and intimacy of these Old Beijing Residential Alley's. I used to dwell these small streets in the evening and fell in love with the Hutong. Who would not !? The evening stroll from The Luxury Capital Hotel, through Hutong Streets - a different Beijing - to the charming old Zheng Yici Theater. There, at the oldest wooden theatre in China, a Ching Dynasty Temple and once the stage for Master Mei Lanfang, I witnessed my First Peking Opera, and .. loved it too ! Then ? I grew a habit of walking through Dashilan Street al the way through the winding Alley's to western Liu Lichang Street. A browse around Liu Lichang is must-have-done for visiting Foreigners. Always a treat full of shopping. Ceramics, Caligraphy, plenty fake and too expensive objects, the forever tourist "chop" - the stone name seal offered everywhere, and .. I always return with a book of new and treasured valuable goodies. Be it books, new VCD Documentaries or just another great little statue to be had. The Hutong of Xuanwu, once the commercial district and territory of the jade, peark, silk- and gold-working guilds, home to Beijing's Number One Antiques and Curiosa Street Liu Lichang are Therapy for Me.

And QianMen ?? Well - that is where I charmed my Caroline, and we sat together overlooking the lights of TiananMen Square. Min Tien coffee language used to be the name of the Place. Now it is boarded up, empty and Gone.

 

Now no more Beijing Hutong ??

As I have personally and tragically witnessed something went wrong with the planned preservation of the Soul of the City - the Hutong. That is - As recorded for this website, even in November and December of 2004, the 1st Chongwen-district Hutong were being leveled at ChongwenMen, directly East and across from The New World Plaza and Office Buildings (at ChongwenMen Nei Dajie'). These now demolished Hutong have immediatly been taken up by the rapidly rising Glory City, a block of Luxury Appartments with a Park, for upscale Beijingers. The last old pensioners, some  of whom tried to tell me their sad story of non-compensation, were being turned out, probably driven outside the City by the cost of new living, never to Return again. I witnessed it all and got it on camera before the Police sternly asked me to leave.

And Then ?? Next in May 2005 the Hutong, west and at the end of Dashilan, famed old shopping street of this once commercial district of Beijing, were being leveled. These Hutong should obviously have been among the protected, however - as I heard then from a local fellow photographer and rickshaw-man-turned-restaurant-owner-, this was just to be the beginning of things. He was Right.

Please go to the New York Times Version of Events - As written currently at the New York Times - Olympics Imperil Historic Beijing Neighborhood. The Story of the Demise of the Chongwen-Xuanwu District Hutong Alley's - known as the QianMen Hutong. Please read the impressive and probably historic article, a record of the End of a Lesser Known but Equally Precious Architectural and Cultural Jewel of the City of Beijing. In due time we hope to follow  this great article up with a www.ChinaReport.com ONLY digital reconstruction of the now lost area's, photos-series of several Hutong Area's while under demolition and possibly more eye-witness accounts of my Time exploring and documenting the Beijing Hutong before, while and after they Fell.

(For this Keep and Eye on the QianMen Hutong Report Page(s) or follow this China Blog).

You may have wondered where we had wondered off to this Time again, but .. not to worry, all this Time we have been right with you working on our China Report-website. As mentioned in earlier blog items, the situation with Doc Ben's temporary return to the Local Hospital -for .. let's say schooling- left our entire operations, plus Doc  Ben,  quite a bit in disarray. Having just return from another Reporting and Aquisition-Trip in China, we were forced to put all our newfound discoveries and online store-products aside, and focus on the education at hand while still retaining some of our daily business. As such, at the end of 6 weeks, we were left with a Gap in our Blogging, quite a bit out of energy and to be honest - a thorough writers block.

But Nonetheless we refuse to waste our Time. Besides - Reporting on China, and discovering new facts, monuments and places is truely one if not -the main- passion of my Life. The ocassion of the welcoming of the 125.000's viewer to our website (Blog at 169501 currently) seems to be a proper reason for a return. So here is a warm welcome to our 125Th thousand and a short review of all the construction that has been going on when we were not Blogging, having a writers block last few weeks.

 

When we left you last Blog Item of June 11Th, we had been uploading quite a bit of Photos taken in and around The City of Xian, the Capital of Shaanxi Province a city most famed for it's nearby Tomb of Ch'In Shi Huangdi with it's army of Terracotta Soldiers and Horses. Eventhough pre-occupied with the above mentioned Hospital Activities, we did manage to put down something resembling a ready framework to start reporting on the wonders of Xian, which - with it's unique best preserved 16 kilometer city wall- is one of Doc Ben's favorite chinese cities. You can now try and have a look around the City without any background texts. We hope to bring you the first explanations quite soon !

Many other changes and additions have since then been made.

Starting with the episode directly after the 11Th June Blog-Item we continued uploading even more groundwork for the (Virtual) City of Xian, leaving for our viewers the entire lay-outs and photos of both Small Goose Pagoda and the Great (Wild) Goose Pagoda and it's Da Cien Temple, in the South District. Go have a look if you don't mind the lack of explanatory text (Documentary DVD available from our Online Store).

 

After completing these two giant Report-lay-outs, truely some of our finest, we definitly all had enough of photo-uploads for a while and turned our attention to the Great New Aquisitions found in China to enrich the inventory of our Online Store. Logically - with all these Documentary DVD Boxes plus a cartload of books stacked squarely in the main space of our Groningen, Netherlands HQ, it would have been hard to ignore them. By the time I was "released from Hospital",  I had no greater desire than to get those sorted, included in our Online Store Inventory, and then ?? Neatly stored, ofcourse.  I hate a mess, especially in my own Operating Room(s). Certainly it already hard enough to get all the bits and pieces of China knowledge molded into one whole-and-one website for you, the viewer, so we have ta keep this organized Enfin - As such our Next Activities involved a lot of new additions to our China Report Online Store. You are once more invited to have a look at the new Store additions, some of which we are quite proud of. Enter for instance the New China Political section. For anyone interested in the Political Views, inspirations and informations of non-western leaders and peoples, you should certainly have a browse through this newly added product line. All new - the first addition is The ABC of the Taiwan Question - an interesting and very informative book, published by Intercontinental Press of Beijing, summing up all the answers to the all the questions on the Taiwan Issue as seen from a purely chinese point of view. You might be surpised about the differences. Valuable insights are to be gained here ! The Two DVD Documentaries on the 1st of October, National Day, Grand Military Reviews at Tian an Men should be counted as the other highly recommended new products in the Political China Section. Both films include Great Footage of TiananMen Square in it's earliest stages, directly after the establishment of the PRC and also include Great Shots of a Festive TiananMen Square, with cheering crowds and a proud Peoples Liberation Army on Display.

Other additions are really too many to mention. Enter a new line of truely great DVD Documentaries, the longest of which - all the in's and out's of all sites related to the Ancient Silk Road- no less than 17 DVD episodes of length. Another fine documentary, not easy to find, is the full 5 DVD historic and scenic Tour of the wonders of The Forbidden City, aka The Imperial Palace Museum of Beijing. Named "Gugong", the chinese name for the "Great Within" - This large scale documentary should be regarded as truely the finest in excistance today and cannot be found in The Palace Museum Giftshop. We are quite proud to be able to bring them to you, anyway.

And the list goes on from there - the series Great Chinese Archeological Discovery - adds an array of background information to our Company and Doc Ben's personal Library. From the Dawn of Civilization to the Ching Dynasty and beyond, take your pick. You may take your time walking through all these new products while we do our best to review them and add description in the Online Store.

 

As for other Web-Publishing and China-related activities, there were some. Check out the Great New Photos of Doc Ben, and his charming Assistant Caroline at this Blog's Galleries. As is tradition, we are going to write a story to go with these fun pictures which will be available in the Doc Ben personal section of www.drben.net, but as explained - this time we couldnt find the energy to write it, yet. Also not mentioned were the development of new possibilities of cooperation while we were in China lately. We are currently looking into all of this. And last but not least - this week we had an interesting demo from computer-expert Kozy whom we hired some Time Ago to Professionalize and Upgrade our extensive China Photo Galleries. We hope to publish these for you shortly at the internet domain www.chinaphoto.eu More news on all this and more  when this China Blog  and www.DrBen.Net continue expanding...

Hello, and we are back. After another episode of utter slapstick in Doc Ben's turbulent, overly busy and adventurous life we (and he) are finally back online, safely from within The Netherlands and from our own HQ Computer Central In Groningen, Nl. Hello China Report Readers, bye bye China .

Wowwwww - Let's hang back a little first after what happened over the last month or so, eversince I was in China struggling to get a connection with MSN and update this China Report Blog. Never before were we so unfortunate during our China Travels ! I can't really remember how many times I failed to get into MSN from China , but I assure you - plenty... If you are a regular viewer you must have noticed. Silence at www.drben.net !

No connection in Beijing, almost no connection during Golden Week in LuoYang, and then again - no connection in Beijing because of an update/modernisation of the Capital Hotel Computer System! Mind you - I was quite too happy to enjoy Beijing once more and look around, spend my time with Caroline at our Bai Shu Hutong Base... Help practice for her IELTS exam. I didnt mind that much. But yes, as a result we were already well behind schedule after the first two weeks of July. None of the juicy travel stories I had to planned to share from within LuoYang, Henan Province in China !

I would have to write them later, but as soon as I could.

Well - That was, as is a regular trend in my hapless life, only the beginning.... Guess what ?? After hanging around in Beijing some more, having more inspiration to photograph and spend time with "Tiny" Caroline, then sit behind computers like a zombie and Blog - I then missed my overbooked KLM Plane back to The Netherlands !! That is just so-oo me. Travelling in China was once again a blast - Truely everyday a new experience, but ... getting back home was proving to be a completely different thing !! As I had feared something went wrong. But I had not expected to be left AT the Gate. Gee wizz - True, this was also a new experience..but .. this obviously wasn't what I had bargained for!! F* KLM, left me standing at the airport.  So, two more days in Beijing , - Caroline was quite happy to get to take me home to the Bai Shu again and then less time before the next Event. 6 weeks in hospital to prove I am a Doctor. Back on the 16Th of July with China Southern Airlines.

Then - home at last !! I was truely yearning to update, having had to wait too long to share my experiences, however... ... Who would have guessed - I arrive home to find a Package and attached letter saying "Please install this new modem (by hand) before you can use your internet". Ooooohhhhh shiiiiit !!! Of course it took me the rest of my meager 4 days before I had to start our at the Local University Hospital to reconnect. By that Time I had some preparations for that to do and had no Time nor inspiration to write this Blog !!! To be quite honest, i was outright nervous and unhappy to go back to work there, after no less then several years without any real medical practice. (But that is another story).

- Truely unfortenate as far as I was concerned. That again is some weeks ago now, but nothing downes my mood as much as not being able to work on my China Project. Let that be known ! Due to serious circumstances - like having to treat real patients - I had no choice to once more rellinquish on China and concentrate on medical subjects.

 

Okay to Cut things a little bit shorter now. We have been back online for some Time. However, as Dr Ben - yours truely- was scheduled to spend six weeks of this summer working as a Doctors-assistant in the Local University Hospital, he has spend the last 3 weeks working 50 hours a week, studying and regulating his business, which left zero time nor any inspiration to update this Blog. It is only now that he found time and inspiration to update this ChinaReport Blog.

Below a listing some more good news - Although an work-overload and the adjustments accompanying the new hard labor schedule left me with an A-Grade writersblock and plenty blog-items to catch up on, we did manage to upload quite a few new photos, completing major parts of the (future) Xian Report Frame-work and adding to the nearly completed Datong Report & Frame-work. After completion of Upper Huayan Monastery and Shan Hua Monastery, we are up to the last item - a near Full Walk along The Cloud Ridge Caves, better known as the Yungang Grottoes. The Caves of course are home to Datong's greatest treasure - the 5Th Century (Wei Dynasty) Buddha Statues, some of the oldest and largest carved statues in the world.

 

Belltower Square, Central Walled City, Xian Shaanxi.

Drum Tower Square, Central Walled City, Xian Shaanxi.

North Street, Central Walled City, Xian, Shaanxi.

ShuYuan Men Traditional Street, East & West Street, Central Walled City, Xian, Shaanxi.

Small Goose Pagoda (JianFu Temple), South District, Xian, Shaanxi.

South Street, Central Walled City, Xian, Shaanxi.

Streets of the Old City, Central Walled City, Xian, Shaanxi.

Tang Dynasty Show Restaurant, South District, Xian, Shaanxi.

 

Shan Hua Monastery Five Dragon Screen Garden, Datong City, Shanxi

Upper HuaYan Monastery Main Shrine Hall Exterior, Datong City, Shanxi

 

An Encounter with The City of LuoYang -

Stretched out along the Luo He (Lo River) and near the last main bend on the magnificent Yellow River, LuoYang is described by Lonely Planet Travel Guide as an industrial center with a population of well over a million-and-a-half, and the Capital of the Province Henan Province. We can now inform you that although not yet thoroughly modern, this City too is fast growing and some new parts have been added on the opposite river bank from the Old City. Still according to tour steadfast Lonely Planet Guide (still one of the best!), and ofcourse our own thoroughly researched information, the City is home to some very interesting and important Chinese Historical Relics, among them many of the finest from the history of the Famed Silk Road. To name a few - LuoYang is famous for the so called LongMen Buddha Caves, a site dating from the Time that LuoYang was once again the Capital City of China, becoming the New Home of the Wei dynasty, which moved its' Capital down from Datong, in 593 AD. Other only slightly lesser sites include Bai Ma Si, or the White Horse Temple - the first Buddhist Temple in China, established as early as the year 1 AD, near LuoYang. Not to be missed - although some hours drive from LuoYang, the world famous Shaolin Monastery, hidden away in the Mountains of Henan Province. Needless to point out, this sacred Shaolin Temple and home of the wellknown martial arts heroes,is another attractive place to visit. Fast growing as a tourist magnet, outside the season the Monastery and Mountains are a magnificent retreat from outside life. One would certainly wish some time to stay and practice there.

As such, attracted by a promise of rich history - even with the chinese "Golden Week" of (internal) tourism arriving - we decided to fly over and scout the City out for ourselves, and ofcourse for future China Report Publications and Photography. Encountering new highpoints , and some depressing low points , mainly due to the extreme excess of tourist visitors to all sites during Golden Week, here is a short first review of our adventures in Henan.

 

Arriving by air at LuoYang at the rather smalll airport, we were happy to reach a new province, new territory and once again encounter a City different from any other we had seen before. The Airport of LuoYang, due North of the City, sits neatly in the fertile lands of Henan that greet the visitor with an abundance of green, and in the spring season offer a rich view of fields of Peony, China's proud national Flower. LuoYang and it's surrounding area are THE Chinese Home of the Peony, and in spring you can see-as well as smell it. Thus welcomed by Henan Province we arranged ourselves a comfortable Taxi, passed the Peony Village near adjacent the airfield and traveled in great spirits and nice summery weather through a lush country-side into the fabled City itself.

LuoYang - a City different from what we have encountered earlier in our travels, unfortunatly is a somewhat lesser sight than earlier seen Majestic Cities. The City, appearing on the horizon as a multitude of rather dull residential housing towers is indeed similar to what Lonely Planet promises- an industrial center, and ... it turns out it is not yet anything more. Initially Luoyang impresses as a City that has far less to offer to the eyes than say - Beijing, Chengde (home of the Imperial Mountain Retreat) and certainly less than the magnificient Walled City of Xi'An (Shaanxi), nevertheless LuoYang should be considered worth your while. In fact, for those not bothered by a lack of utter modernity, the lush green lanes of the still rather provincial city can be quite inspiring. Street scenes abound, the river banks with indiscrete nude bathers, fishermen, youthly couples and other leisure-seekers are near and the old historic city can easily be found. Although, a lenghty city, it continues for miles along the river banks, local athmosphere is busy but mainly calm and quite relaxing. It is certainly far less paced then life in the giant megametroplises of the Coastal plains. Still neatly in harmony with life in the nearby and easily reached countryside, the city impressed us with it's unique athmosphere. Walking quickly turns into a hike in this stretched city, but is comfortable, often shady and seldom boring.

First installing ourselves at the Golden Gulf Hotel, a Tower at Zhongzhou Zhong Lu, the main traffic artery running East-West through the City, we found ourselves lucky once more, the view from our 12Th floor suite giving a wide outlook on the City, revealing to us more not-so-modern highrises and behind them the Luo river with some of it's opposite banks. What first seemed confusing, now suddenly looked a lot more easy to explore and even more attractive. Hanging from our high-up window could get our first orientations on this new place and soon our eyes were drawn by the sight of the River Banks and cooling waters. They didn't seem too far off to walk there. Almost immediatly catching a plan we thought we could set off in that general direction, meanwhile getting a first taste of the surrounding city streets and enjoying the glorious weather. After reaching the river, we might be seduced to attempt a swim in a real chinese river. That would be a first... The weather and calm waters did seem to make a for great opportunities, and not only in the photographic field.

Thus, we were soon ready and prepared to explore. After grabbing cameras, batteries and the lot we set off for a nearby large bridge and possibly the North Bank of the Luo He. The weather was perfect, albeit hot, and the city new territory. First up, almost naturally, a walk to the River Banks to view the River Luo and the Skyline of the City.

 

Outside the Hotel, only after a terrifying ride down in a glassbox on the outside of the Tower, the damp hot Henan Air fell upon our airconditioned selves as a warm blanket. Huhmmm, this was a little less comfortable than our open windowed taxi trip into the City and a bit of a surpise. But nevermind, shady green lanes abounded, and besides... in comparison to Beijing in Summer this was Easy. Or so it seemed. We had work to do and things to thoroughly enjoy, so optimisticly we set off on our expedition.

Turning the corner of Zhongzhou Zhong Lu, we headed into the light and into some dusty and hot streets, planning to pass what seemed the most modern highrises of the city and then move on to the nearby River Bank. These highrises were perfect for navigation as they obviously weren't to be missed. We didn't want to get lost straightaway.

As it turned out, the current City Center of LuoYang, if there is in fact such a thing, comprises Zhongzhou Zhong Lu, and the area's surrounding the Golden Gulf Hotel. The highrises include the Headquarters of the LuoYang Police, the Mayor's Office, the ever present chinese banks, some Korean Firms and currently a number of new even higher Towers that are under construction.

This City is starting to come to life too. Due west of this, around Zhongzhou Zhonglu and it's parallel avenue are the cities newest shopping malls and an international plaza has been proclaimed. Proclaimed we say because the ATM machines at this Plaza do not have an english language options, as of yet. Very inconvenient and a bit disappointing for an International Square. However, these newly modernising city streets are the prefered sites for Mc Donalds and it's equally disgusting competitor Kentucky Fried Chicken, drawing in large crowds. (Later ofcourse it turned I would be a regular custumer, as an all chinese diet  is still a challenge to me, true China Fan.)

Passing through city center we easily picked up a map, bought necessary cooled drinks and while surprising ourselves at the interesting mix of old and new, quiet and bustle, depending on street, headed onward towards the River Banks. As mentioned, they seemed not too far off, and a Large Needle-like Tower standing along the River would be easy to walk to.

Nearby? Not so it turned out! LuoYang is quite a bit larger than it seems.

Between City Center and those River Banks is an entire city block, half-hidden from sight, one level down from the Plazas. These are older buildings, intermixed with new 4 story appartment buildings, a labyrinth with in the middle a large sports stadium and sports park. Dwell around the Stadium for interest if you will, it is often used for large concerts as well as sports events. During daytime in summers its is usually empty, only the playing field of local young boys. Don't try to use this route to get to to the River. Move East or West parallel to the River and use a sufficiently wide street to make the last walk to the River Banks. They are still some streets off.

Finally arriving through dilapidated streets, possibly passing a factory or some remaining patches of farmland, you will find a park stretching along the River. Here a wide view of the opposite bank awaits, the river slowly moves downstream, calmed by low damns and without shipping traffic. Nearby are passersby in the park, and young swimmers clambering on stone banks. Far away, both upstream and downstream, two large cable-bridges span across the river,marking the general borders of the lenghty City. Inside the Park on the River banks The Space Needle-like Ethnic Minorities Hotel, by day and night THE dominating feature of the LuoYang Skyline. This luxury Hotel on the River is the signature sight of this city. The Rooms n the Towere offer a luxury stay with the best views of City and surrouding area's, at night bathed in many many lights.

While enjoying your first walk along the river banks there is not much to fear. Spaces are widen open and the riverbank offers miles of walking along the city front if you'd like. Although the park is not always a busy spot, street crime in and around the City is low. The park itself is regularly patrolled by Police keeping an eye on things. Your and our only problem - the moist Henan air , requiring regular drinks to keep oneself in some reasonable state of comfort. From here, its a walk along the river enjoying the young green of the park with it's many trees, or down to the waterfront across basalt banks. Although locals regularly go for a swim in this slow flowing part of the river, we -on 2nd thought- concluded that perhaps it is better not to go into the water. Local elderly informed us the river used to be quite different and it was easy to catch an evening meal of fish from this bank. Many did so. However currently -during our stay- the water appeared to be polluted and rather lifeless. Although we have seen far worse already, stories of river pollution in China and the ever looming possibility of parasitic or viral infection kept us out of the water. It's definitly swimming at your won risk, as far as we are concerned. Only the loyal local fisherman persists in trying to find a good catch, and ofcourse the locals still enjoy the waters.

Strolling along the modern park offers not to many higlights. Of course there is the ever dominant Ethnic Minorities Hotel looming above, a great opportunity for photos. Other worthwhile scenes are the swimmers, and perhaps if you get to visit here, some remaining patches of farming land, a strange site between the otherwise modern buildings, with local citizens tending carefully to their homegrown crop. The park is a good place to prientating yourself on the Cities lay-out, especially when not in possesion of a map, yet.

At night lenghts of the Park can become a bit eery in athmosphere, but as in many chinese cities - if the moods are right, many flock to the cool banks to sing chinese songs together, perform their daily exercises, dance and more.

It does depend on the spot, as the river banks truely are miles long.

From Here out discover the Northern City Bank which includes the Old City of Luoyang and get further aquainted. Due East and downstream are the main attraction such as the City Market, around which many of the finest restaurants in the Province (book ahead!), beyond - Old City and another part of the City with new Hotels, a businesslike district and of course the Main Bridge crossing Luo He.

 

More on The City of LuoYang, somewhere in the Future featured in many photos and backgrounds at www.LuoYangReport.com !

 

 

 

---> Completion of this Item after gaining extra inspirations