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Friday, September 11, 2009

Beautiful Scenes in China

Holiday in China - Wuzhen, Henan and Shanghai




Wuzhen is a scenic town, part of Thongxiang in northern Zhejiang Province, China. It lies within the triangle formed by Hanzhou, Suzhou and Shanghai.

In Chinese, wu means crow or dark, and zhen means a small town. Wuzhen's population is 6,000 and its area is 46.5 square kilometers.

Located in the center of the six ancient towns south of Yangtze River, 17 kilometers (10.56 miles) north of the city of Tongxiang, Wuzhen displays its two thousand year history in its ancient stone bridges floating on mild water, its stone pathways between the mottled walls and its delicate wood cravings. Also, setting it apart from other towns, it gives a unique experience through its profound cultural background.



Wuzhen's uniqueness lies in its layout, being 2 kilometers (1.24 miles) long and divided into six districts - i.e Traditional Workshops District, Traditional Local-Styled Dwelling Houses District, Traditional Culture District, Traditional Food and Beverage District, Traditional Shops and Stores District, and Water Township Customs and Life District. Wandering along the east-west-east circuit created by these 6 districts, tourisst can enjoy the atmosphere of the traditional cultures and the original ancient features of the town that have been preserved intact.

Henan, is a province of the China, located in the central part of the country. The name Henan means "south of the Yellow River".


With nearly 100 million people, Henan is the most populous province of China by residency. It borders Hebei to the north, Shandong to the northeast, Anhui to the souteast. Hubei to the south, Shaanxi to the west, and Shanxi to the northwest.


Henan is often called Zhongyuan or Zhongzhou, literally "central plains" or "midland", this name is also broadly applied to the entire North China Plain. Henan is traditinally regarded as the cradle of Chinese civilization.

Shanghai is the largest city in China in terms of population and one of the largest metropolitan areas in the world, with over 20 million people. Located on China's central eastern coast at the mouth of the Yangtze River, the city is administered as a municipality of the People's Republic of China with province level status.


Originally a fishing and textile town, Shanghai grew to importance in the 19th century due to its favourable port location and as one of the cities opened to foreign trade by the 1842 Treaty of Nanking. The city flourished as a center of commerce between east and west, and became a multinational buy of finance and business by the 1930s. However, Shanghai's prosperity was interrupted after the 1949 Communist takeover and the subsequent cessation of foreign investment. Economic reforms in 1990 resulted in intense development and financing in Shanghai, and in 2005 Shanghai became the world's largest cargo port.


The city is an emerging tourist destination renowned for its historical landmarks such as the Bund and Xintiandi, its modern and ever-expanding Pudong skyline including the Oriental Pearl Tower, and its new reputation as a cosmopolitan center of culture and design. Today, Shanghai is the largest center of commerce and finance in mainland China, and has been described as the "showpiece" of the world's fastest growing economy.






Posted by
Ivan