8.3.2019
Guizhou province located in southwest China is known for its traditional rural villages such as the 14^th century Qingyan ancient town and the 74m-high Huangguoshu waterfall one of the largest waterfalls in China and East Asia......

There are two well-known Guizhou food I tried and liked: Si Wa Wa 丝娃娃and  Suan Tang Yu酸汤鱼......

Huangguoshu waterfall is huge and truly amazing......

......Qingyan ancient town has several gates, there is even a small wall like the Great Wall of China where you can climb up and have a good view of the town and surrounding areas.

Today Guizhou Huangguoshu is becoming a very attractive tourist place even for Chinese people. Click here to read more

1.3.2017
People say one must see Huangshan in one’s life time, how true it is.  I was lucky to see it not too long ago.  Huangshan is a mountain range in southern Anhui province in eastern China.  The area is well known for its scenery, sunsets, peculiarly-shaped granite peaks, Huangshan pine trees, hot springs, winter snow, and views of the clouds from above.  It is a UNESCO World Heritage Site......Climbing up and down the 1-person-wide ladders on the mountain is truly memorable, it was scary but exciting.  The memory of being on the mountain was still vivid as I go over my pictures a couple of years later...Click here to read more

1.3.2017
...Among all the places I went to in Korea, I like the Korea Cutural Village where Dae Jang Geum 大长今was filmed.  In the village one can see Korea style old and relatively recent residences, wedding ceremony and other performance. Another place I like is Namiseom南怡岛 a small half-moon shaped island.  If you like the movie Winter Sonata then you will like this place and its pines. On the trip I ate some traditional Korean food such as many different hot pot, ginseng chicken noodle, seaweed rice, BBQ, kimchee and other, they were good...Click here to read more

1.3.2017
As 2013 turning to an end, I went to Taiwan for a 7-day around the island tour.  I saw many attractions and ate a lot of good food.  Taiwan people are nice and warm.  I like Taiwan, it was a delightful experience.

Since I like nature, Taroko National Park, Sun Moon Lake and Island’s Most Southern tip gave me deep impression.  Taroko NP located in Hualien County, it is one of the nine national parks in Taiwan and was named after the Taroko Gorge, the landmark gorge of the park carved by the Liwu River.  The name, Taroko(formally as Truku), means "human being" in the Truku language of the Truku indigenous tribe. Long ago a Truku tribesman saw the beauty of the azure Pacific when he walked out of the gorge. On seeing the magnificent scene, he cried "Taroko!". And so it became the name of the place, in a fashion not dissimilar to how the island, Formosa, got its name...Click here to read more

9.27.2011

Often times we heard people say learning Mandarin Chinese is difficult.  Indeed it is one of the most difficult languages in the world.  Being a China native, I can’t appreciate enough of the beauty of the Chinese language until I have a need to translate it into English.  For example,

杭州八景 the eight famous scenes of Hangzhou is perfectly constructed in four small but precise and vivid Chinese words.  These Chinese words paint a lovely picture on my mind.  How can I translate them into English that still maintain the same beauty?  I can’t!  It’s a sad thing, isn’t it?  But at least this is the best I can do.

1．断桥残雪 Remnant Snow on the Bridge in Winter；or Melting snow on broken bridge

2．平湖秋月 Moon over the Peaceful Lake in Autumn；

3．阮墩环碧 Ruan Gong Islet Submerged in Greenery；

4．雷锋夕照 Leifeng Pagoda in the Sunset；

5．曲院风荷 Curved Yard and Lotus Pool in Summer；

6．三潭印月 Three Ponds Mirroring the Moon；

7．柳浪闻莺 Orioles Singing in the Willows；

8．南屏晚钟 Evening Bell Ringing at the Nanping Hill。

And then, it came the new ten scenes of the well known West Lake located in Hangzhou西湖新十景: ...Click here to read more

8.2.2011
As I studied the four legendary Chinese stories (Niulang and Zhinv, Lady Meng Jiang cried the Great Wall,  Butterfly Lovers, White Snake), I ran into Butterfly Lovers’ beautiful violin concerto.  It was so amazingly moving and pure!  The music led me to another sweet and heavenly Chinese music春江花月夜Blossoms on a Spring Moonlit Night.  How could I resist such a pleasure to my ears?  So I continued to find out the top 10 most well-known Chinese traditional music.  Five instruments play these music, they are古筝Guzhen,古琴 Guqin,琵琶Lute,二胡Erhu, and 洞箫Xiao.

For your enjoyment, I have put together a list of YouTube videos for these ten most famous music:

高山流水Gaoshanliushui(古筝曲)- Mountain stream(高means high 山 means Mountain 流水means the running water): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fs7Bse4Q4BQ&feature=related

广陵散Guanglingsan (古筝曲): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5FezLQbsPwQ&feature=related

...Click here to read more

5.2.2011
“Oracle Bones: A Journey Between China’s Past and Present” was written by an American journalist Peter Hessler.  China from 1999 to 2004 was a period that sounded so familiar and yet so distant to me.  I can very much relate to many things in the book.

Thought 1:  When I first came to the US, I used to say “peasant” all the time because that was what I have learned in school, rarely did I say “farmer”.  So when I said peasant to my husband whose parents were farmers, he said: “Do you mean farmer?”  There are big differences between Chinese peasants and US farmers especially in the areas of education and farming tools/methods.

Thought 2:  It is very true that false/fake (假的jiade) products are everywhere in China, so be cautious in things you buy or people you deal with.  In China from the food we eat, to clothes and accessories we wear, to diploma and official documents, all can be faked.  Even the author Peter himself had to write a false resume in order to get a journalist visa.  Is the Chinese system that makes people do what is necessary in order to survive? ...Click here to read more

3.13.2011

As the first generation immigrant from China, I was asked to speak at various events because people are fascinated by my story.  Twenty one years ago when I came to this country, I had only $40 in my pocket.  Against the odds of being laid off from a very large company in 2008, I came a long way from an engineer to be a business owner today.  And the best of all, I realized my dream of doing something I truly like.

I would summarize my American journey in two milestones.  The first milestone was ten years into living in the United States, I had a very nice job with Eastman Kodak Company, a nice family with two boys, and a big house with no mortgage and no debt.  The second milestone was twenty years into living in the United States, I lost my job but found my own company, our family grew with another addition: a baby boy, and financially we were doing very well.

I contribute my success to my strong personality.  If somebody gave me a lemon, I would say: watch me, how I turn it into lemonade...Click here to read more.

11.12.2010

Every time I visit China, I like nothing better to go back soon.  China's high mountains, elegant rivers, springs and waterfalls, rare animals and plants, numerous historical spots and sites, distinctive operas, music and dances, rich and varied folk customs and styles , and its world-renowned cuisine, this fascinating country attracts a large number of domestic and foreign tourists even me a China native. 

This summer our family went on a Silk Road journey that stretched through the entire northwest region of China.  The Silk Road was opened about 138 BC in Western Han Dynasty and gradually over a thousand years built both sea and land routes stretched more than 7000 miles from Chang’an (now Xian) to the Mediterranean Sea.  The purpose of the Silk Road was to trade China’s silk, tea, spices, pottery and Chinese inventions with Western’s horses, linen, seeds, plants and new ideas.  Nobody traveled the entire Silk Road and camel was used to transport goods and people.  The last Dynasty the Qing Dynasty finally closed the trade routes.

Besides climbing the Great Wall and seeing thousands of human-size Terra Cotta Warriors and Horses, our family found some favorite places along the Silk Road.

Grape Valley, Turpan

Turpan basin is located in the Valley of Tian Mountain’s east range.  In Uygur, an ethnic group of China, Turpan means the low ground.  In fact this place is 500 meters below sea level and is the second lowest place in the world after the Dead Sea.  Green pearl-like grapes grow abundant in Turpan and grapes are what this place is famous for.  We took a nice stroll at a grape valley shaded by thousands of grape vines.  We visited a underground well museum and got a glimpse of the massive underground well system that keeps water supply to this region’s grape growers.  We even tasted freshly squeezed grape juice.  It was so yummy!

Mingsha Mountain and Crescent Spring, Dunhuang

The scenic area of Mingsha Mountain and Crescent Spring is located 5 km south of Dunhuang city.  The name of Mingsha Mountain came from the echoing sound produced by the moving sand.  Within Mingsha Mountain lies the Crescent Spring which resembles a crescent fallen down into the dessert.  Being a place where spring meets desert, the area is a natural spectacle and has been known as a “desert wonder” from ancient to modern times.  Climbing the sand mountain was a challenge, however the view from the top was definitely rewarding.  We also rode the camels for the first time in our life.  It was a lot of fun!

Mogao Grottoes, Dunhuang

The Mogao Grottoes, commonly known as the “Thousand Buddha Caves”, are located 25 km southeast of Dunhuang city.  There are 735 existing caves of various shapes from ten dynasties, and the caves contain some 45000 sq meter of murals and 2400 painted sculptures.  At any given day, only 30+ caves are open to the tourists.  We saw a huge stone Buddha statue (over 30 foot tall) and a 20 foot lying Buddha statue.  The murals and sculptures were colorful and vivid; we were amazed by ancient Chinese’s skills and craftsmanship.

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10.22.2010

The movie “Shanghai” ended with the actor’s voice echoing over the Huangpu River “I liked Shanghai so much and I returned…”  The end of 1930’s and the beginning of 1940’s, Shanghai was a playground for spy, soldier, foreigner, gangster, communist and capitalist all-kind.  In the midst of turmoil, common people went to work as usual, retailers, movie theatres and night clubs were still open, and rickshaws and trolley buses were hustling on the narrow streets.

Shanghai is China’s largest industrial city and business center.  Once you step your foot on the ground, you will feel its energy and excitement.  Modern colossal buildings draw the skyline of Shanghai yet hiding among them there are many themed boutique hotels and streets let you see and experience the old time atmosphere.  Among them The Mansion Hotel is at the top of the accommodation list.  The villa was originally designed by French architect Lafayette in 1932 and was owned by a partner of infamous Shanghai syndicate boss Du Yue Sheng until 1949.  Now it is an important historical building to operate legitimate businesses and host the cities most extravagant parties at night.  To visit the hotel’s elegant 1930’s lobby and to eat at its rooftop restaurant are highly recommended when you visit Shanghai.  Xintiandi (literally means “new heaven and earth”), the old French Concession district of Shanghai, is another very popular shopping and dining place.  Interesting old city Shiku Gate (also called Shanghai Alley) were turned into mixed Chinese-European styles.  Several famous Chinese’s residences are open for visitors including Sun Yat-sen’s Former Residence, Premier Zhou Enlai’s Former Residence, and Soong Ching Ling’s Former Residence.

Rich in historical and cultural resources, Shanghai attracts both domestic and overseas tourists...click here to read more and make comments 

9.24.2010

August 16 Beijing 北京
Clark and I have been to the Great Wall in 1995, but this time we went to the Mutianyu section of the Great Wall. It hardly had any people. The view of the Great Wall stretched along the lush green mountaintops was breathtaking. We saw a wedding group taking wedding photos on the Wall. Good choice of a perfect spot!

August 17 Beijing/Urumqi北京/乌鲁木齐
We went to a local restaurant for lunch. It was a nice place for dumplings. We tasted ten different kinds of stuffing; most of them were vegetables with only one meat stuffing that the kids liked.

August 18 Urumqi乌鲁木齐
On the way to Heavenly Lake, we stopped at the roadside to look at a yurt (a tentlike dwelling of the Mongol and Turkic peoples of central Asia). Inside it was huge, large enough to comfortably sleep a dozen people. It was beautifully decorated with colorful carpets. The yurt was located on a scenic creek bank side. When winter comes, the nomad’s family just takes down the entire yurt, packs it and moves to warm grounds, next summer the family returns to the same spot and sets up the yurt again.

Sitting on top of a hill overlooking the Heavenly Lake, there was a Daoism Monastery we visited. It was so peaceful and beautiful there, truly heavenly.

August 19 Turpan 吐鲁番
Turpan was hot. We stayed at the Huozhou Hotel. Huozhou 火洲in Chinese means Fire State. Our room had a see-through glass wall bathroom, it was really cool. This was the first time we saw this kind of bathroom.

August 20 Turpan/Jiayuguan吐鲁番/嘉峪关
Our overnight train ticket had some issues. In fact we did not even have a train ticket. Our guide had to bribe several staff on the train with cigarettes and money so that we can get on the train with soft-sleep beds. Only a Chinese can handle this situation, westerners can’t even imagine what to do. Because of the ticket issue, a couple of us had to move from one compartment to another in the middle of the night; we did not sleep much.

August 21 Jiayuguan嘉峪关
Jiayuguan Pass was the first pass to Hexi corridor. People traveling westward must pass this fort in ancient times. Compared to Fort Snelling, Jiayuguan was huge. It housed one thousand soldiers and horses in ancient times.

August 22 Dunhuang 敦煌
We had our first camel ride at the Singing Sand Mountains and Crescent Moon Spring. It was fantastic! Most camels had two humps. We learned that the camels with standing humps were the healthy ones while those with hanging humps were not.

At Mogao Grottoes we saw a huge (over 30 foot tall) Buddha stone statue and a 26 foot lying Buddha statue. The Grottoes have over 700 caves, but at any given day only 30 caves are open for tourists.

August 23 Dunhuang敦煌
Dunhuang night market was a nice place to go. It had all kinds of spices, artworks and food. We particularly liked the local art and bought one wooden carving tiger for CNY800. The tiger looked so real, it was cool. Seeing the artist working on their projects in the market was definitely eye opening.

August 24 Dunhuang敦煌
We have been reading Chinese/English signs at places we went to. Here were the funniest ones we have seen. “Grapes and fruits taste the spot” in Chinese 葡萄水果品尝点，in proper English it should be something like this “This is the spot to taste grapes and fruits”. “Watch for ladders” in Chinese 小心台阶，there was no ladder rather there were some steps, in proper English it should be “Watch for your steps”. “Be careful of landslide” in Chinese 小心地滑，in proper English it should be “Floor slippery, be careful!” This sign on a bathroom door made us laugh for a long time.

August 25 Lanzhou 兰州
Two days in a row we traveled to different states; we were tired. Taking a speedboat ride on the Yellow River was an interesting experience on its own. The 45-minute one-way ride was scary considering the boat was tiny and completely enclosed with eight people trapped inside for a long time; not to mention on the way back the driver told us he saw a dead body floating on the water. However the serene Bingling Cave Temple hidden in the mountains along the Yellow River was worthwhile to see. Water buffaloes were happily resting in the valley where caves, mountains and river meet, it was picturesque! There was no other way to get to the Bingling Cave Temple, so we had to take the speedboat.

August 26 Xian 西安
After daily breakfast buffet and banquet style Chinese lunch, McDonald’s sounded so good to us. We often craved for ice cream on the trip and that was our supper.

August 27 Xian/Shanghai西安/上海
In Shanghai we departed with the rest of the group. Shanghai is my hometown.

August 28 to September 2 Shanghai上海
We still had a few days before we heading back to the States. One day we went to a nearby water town called Wuzhen. It rained and such moments appeared in many Chinese literatures “beautiful Jiangnan in the rain 雨中的江南是很美的”.

On the last day in Shanghai, a Typhoon hit the city and we got heavy rain for hours and hours. It reminded me how much I loved Typhoon weather when I was a child in the hot and humid over 100-degree days when the only cooling device we had was the fan in the house. It felt so nice and cool during Typhoon.

We had a great time in China and we have over 800 pictures! For a sneak peek of the photos we took on the trip, go to this link:

http://picasaweb.google.com/108878095563854310219/ChinaOldAndNew?feat=email#slideshow/5519900334163292242

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9.6.2010
When I was young, I learned these classic Chinese literatures. One of them is the famous Dang dynasty poem from Wang Wei “A Song at Weicheng” and another one is one of the four Chinese classic novels “Journey to the West” from the 16th century. My trip to the Silk Road three weeks ago made all these literatures into reality.

王维Wang Wei wrote《送元二使安西（又名“渭城曲”）》A SONG AT WEICHENG
渭城朝雨浥轻尘，A morning-rain has settled the dust in Weicheng;
客舍青青柳色新。Willows are green again in the tavern dooryard….
劝君更尽一杯酒, Wait till we empty one more cup –
西出阳关无故人。West of Yang Gate there’ll be no old friends.
I was able to see the so called Yang Gate 阳关 at Jiayuguan 嘉裕关and the nearby Jade Gate 玉门关. These gates together marked the boundaries between ancient China 中国 and the surrounding barbarians. West of the gates was desert while east of the gates was the civilized China in old days. Making the geographic connection allows me to fully understand the true meaning of “West of Yang Gate there’ll be no old friends”.

One of the most famous characters in Journey to the West 西游记was the Monkey King孙吾空. In one of the episode, the Monkey King had to pass the Flaming Mountain火焰山with his crew. The only way to pass the Mountain was to borrow a super fan from a powerful person. I thought the Flaming Mountain火焰山was existed only in literature when I was young. But there is the real Flaming Mountain in Xinjiang province that I saw this time. The red sandy mountain under the sun is breathtakingly beautiful. Not only did we find the real Flaming Mountain, we also went to Guazhou 瓜州. In Journey to the West, the Monkey King also went to Guazhou 瓜州. We tasted sweet melon at Guazhou, maybe that is why it is called Guazhou because melon in Chinese is Gua瓜.

By the way, if you don’t know what Four Chinese Classic Novels are, they are: Romance of the Three Kingdoms 三國演義, Water Margin 水滸傳, Journey to the West 西遊記 and Dream of the Red Chamber 紅樓夢. Happy learning because what you have learned.

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5.11.2010
After watching the movie “Red Cliff”, I thought about the famous Battle of the Red Cliff in Chinese history immediately prior to the Three Kingdoms era around the winter of 208/9 AD. The movie is fascinating and entertaining. Several famous actors and actresses from Mainland China, Hong Kong and Taiwan worked together to make this movie even more worthy of watching. Probably every Chinese child read Romance of the Three Kingdoms 三國演義, one of the Four Great Classical Novels of Chinese literature, can tell you the result of the battle where the movie “Red Cliff” came to an sudden end just before the battle. A small army of Zhou Yu and Zhu Ge Liang defeated a much larger army led by Cao Cao through courage and well-planned strategies. These strategies are enormously witty even today’s business world can use some.
Three well-known people throughout Chinese history were involved in the battle: Zhou Yu 周瑜, Zhu Ge Liang 诸葛亮, and Cao Cao 曹操. While you can find many records on who they were and how they contributed to the Chinese history, I though of Zhu Ge Liang as calm, full of wisdom, and a war and political strategist, Zhou Yu as an excellent army commander and a handsome man who died early, and Cao Cao as a proud man, with no fear, and knew how to use his power and army to his political advancement. Among the three, Zhu Ge Liang is my favorite. Many stories of him captivated my imagination throughout my childhood.
So where is the location of the Battle of the Red Cliff? While it is widely debated and remains uncertain, many believed the location is southeast of Wuhan and Yueyang in Hunan province on the south bank of the Yangtze River. I have not yet visited the place, but for sure someday I would like to see it where the word Red Cliff 赤 壁 is written on a rock standing on the river. You may watch the movie online at this link http://www.tudou.com/programs/view/svoS0m9mx4s/

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