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Pǔníng Temple
With its squeaking prayer wheels and devotional intonations of its monks, Chéngdé’s only active temple was built in 1755 in anticipation of Qianlong’s victory over the western Mongol tribes in Xīnjiāng. Supposedly modelled on the earliest Tibetan Buddhist monastery (Samye), the fir
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Barkhor Circuit
For your first few visits to the Barkhor circuit, it’s best to let yourself be dragged along by the centrifugal tide of pilgrims, but there are also several small, fascinating temples to pop into en route. As you follow the flow of pilgrims past sellers of religious photos, felt co
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West Lake
The unashamed tourist brochure hyperbole extolling West Lake is almost justified in its shrill accolades. The very definition of classical beauty in China, West Lake is mesmerising and methodical prettification has weaved some cunning magic: pagoda-topped hills rise over willow-lin
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Main Assembly Hall
The main assembly hall, or Tsogchen, is the principal structure in the Drepung complex. The hall is reached through an entrance on the west side, just past a kitchen , whose medieval-looking giant cauldrons and ladles look like a set from the film The Name of the Rose . The huge in
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Shalu Monastery
It’s a treat for the traveller when a sight is both a pleasure to explore and of great artistic importance. Such is the Shalu Monastery which dates back to the 11th century. The monastery rose to prominence in the 14th century when its abbot, Büton Rinchen Drup, emerged as the fore
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Gyantse Kumbum
Commissioned by a Gyantse prince in 1427 and sitting inside the Pelkor Chöde complex, the Gyantse Kumbum is the town’s foremost attraction. The 32m-high chörten, with its white layers trimmed with decorative stripes and its crown-like golden dome, is awe-inspiring. But the inside i
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Temple of Heaven Park
A tranquil oasis of peace and methodical Confucian design in one of China’s busiest urban landscapes, the 267-hectare Temple of Heaven Park is absolutely unique. It originally served as a vast stage for solemn rites performed by the emperor of the time (known as the Son of Heaven),
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Ütse
The central building of Samye, the Ütse, comprises a unique synthesis of architectural styles. The ground and 1st floors were originally Tibetan in style, the 2nd floor was Chinese and the 3rd floor Khotanese. The corner parapets with green and gold dorje designs are also unique. T
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Sakya Monastery
The immense, grey, thick-walled southern monastery is one of Tibet’s most impressive constructed sights, and one of the largest monasteries. Established in 1268, it was designed defensively, with watchtowers on each corner of its high walls. Inside, the dimly lit hall exudes a sanc
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Forbidden City
Ringed by a 52m-wide moat at the very heart of Běijīng, the Forbidden City is China’s largest and best-preserved collection of ancient buildings, and the largest palace complex in the world. So called because it was off limits for 500 years, when it was steeped in stultifying ritua
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Living Abroad in China with Barbara & Stuart Strother
1. Are there any local customs that a newcomer to China should be aware of?
A few key customs that come to mind include receiving a business card with two hands and treating it as a valuable item, being aware of the fact that there is a particular protocol on where to sit at group dinners (wait un
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Where to Live in Kowloon, Hong Kong
West Kowloon at night. Photo © Dora Hon, licensed Creative Commons Attribution No-Derivatives.
Officially Kowloon is a mere 47 square kilometers, which may account for why it feels so impossibly crowded. Historically, Kowloon was the area that ran from the Tsim Sha Tsui peninsula, which faces
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Living on the Outlying Islands of Hong Kong
Silvermine Bay Beach on Lantau Island. Photo © Edwin Lee, licensed Creative Commons Attribution.
Relatively untouched by the city sprawl that affects the New Territories, the Outlying Islands are a wholesale change from the cosmopolitan Hong Kong advertised in guidebooks, and the opportunity
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Discovering Beijing & Shanghai with Susie Gordon
1. Beijing and Shanghai are vastly different. How would you describe each city?
As the capital of China, Beijing is a tapestry that reflects the nation’s history, culture, and politics. It’s calmer and more confident than Shanghai. With its low sprawl of ring roads and straight avenues, its layout
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Is Living in Hong Kong Right For You?
In the streets of Hong Kong. Photo © MojoBaron, licensed Creative Commons Attribution No-Derivatives.
Picture an exotic setting, an international cast, and bags full of money. Few destinations bristle with as much promise and potential as Hong Kong. Synonymous with ambition, success, and adve
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Weather and Seasons in Hong Kong
Hong Kong Harbor. Photo © Roger Wagner, licensed Creative Commons Attribution.
Perched just below the Tropic of Cancer, Hong Kong enjoys a sub-tropical climate and four distinct seasons that follow those of the Northern Hemisphere, albeit with some noticeable differences.
Winters are short, runnin
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How to Find Jobs Teaching English in China
Photo © Yang Jun/123rf.
English-teaching jobs or university teaching jobs tend to be filled via email and phone contacts with the school directly or through a placement agency. A quick Internet search will result in numerous sites listing English-teaching jobs. Some sites are places where differen
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A Shifting Shoreline: Hong Kong Land Reclamation
Victoria Harbour at sunset. Photo © Pasu Au Yeung, licensed Creative Commons Attribution.
While Victoria Harbour might have been the waterway that helped float the city’s fortunes, this once grand port has been on the receiving end of some equally grand downsizing, reducing it from endless oc
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Tips for Dealing with Taxi Drivers in China
Taxis crowding the street in Hong Kong. Photo © Kevin Poh, licensed Creative Commons Attribution.
Most taxis have meters and do not try to rip you off. If, however, the meter isn’t working in your cab, you have the right to refuse to pay. For the most part, metered taxis are honest, to the point o
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Shopping and Bargaining in a Chinese Market
Writing brushes hanging in a stall at Pan Jia Yuan, the largest antique market in Beijing. Photo © Ivan Walsh, licensed Creative Commons Attribution.
Between the bargains and the bargaining, one of the most fun aspects of living in China is the shopping, especially in the local markets. For those
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