China
Our itinerary in China went from my hometown Changsha to Shanghai, with a quick side trip to Hangzhou.
(Click on each image to see the high-resolution version)
The pivotal point of all my trips to China is a stop in my hometown, Changsha, Hunan Province. Not a tourist attraction, the only reason we go there is to visit my family. The following picture was taken by the Xiang Jiang River, a tribunary of the mighty Yangtze. I think the clay pots contain pickled vegetables in soy sauce.
We paid a visit to Tian Xin Pavilion (天心阁), where the old city wall is.
Our second stop was Shanghai, a modern and artificial city. We walked around town, stopping by the Chenghuang Temple (城隍庙), or Temple of the local gods, and the famous Yu Garden (豫园), one of the few preserved architecture from pre-modern days.
By the river -- the mighty Yangtze that is, but which takes on a different moniker here (the Huang Pu) -- modern buildings dominate the skyline. The famous Oriental Pearl Tower is the most striking of them all, but the Jinmao Building in the distance was in fact the tallest in China at that time.
At night the artificial city glows.
We made a side trip to Hangzhou, where the serene West Lake lays next to the city. Unfortunately, the day was cloudy and windy, not very good for picture taking.
But the hightight -- brief though it was -- was at Lingyin Temple (灵隐寺), where many of ancient Buddhist statues are carvings are preserved.
The main Buddha statue at the Grand Hall of the Great Sage.
And the famous "Laughing Buddha", most humorous of all Buddhist, or indeed religious, statues.
More Buddhist statues and carvings.
And finally, the bell at Jingci Temple (净慈寺), entrenched in Chinese culture for its toll at dusk, "Evening Bell Ringing at the Nanping Hill" (南屏晚钟).
Xiang Jiang River
Tian Xin Pavilion
Tian Xin Pavilion
Chenghuang Temple
Yu Garden
Yu Garden
Shanghai Skyline
Oriental Pearl Tower
Pudong seen from the observation deck of Jinmao Building
Pudong seen from the observation deck of Jinmao Building
Inside of the Jinmao Building
Shanghai skyline at night
The Bund
West Lake
West Lake
West Lake
West Lake
Buddhist Statue
Buddhist Statue
Buddhist Statue
Buddhist Statue
Buddhist Statue
Buddhist Statue
Buddhist Statue
Buddhist Statue
Buddhist Statue
Buddhist Statue
Buddhist Statue
Buddhist Statue
Buddhist Statue
Buddhist Statue
Bell at the Nanping Hill
