China
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Martial arts students in Shaolin
Martial arts students practicing during sunset in the training center near the Shaolin temple (Shaolin Si) in Henan province, China Shaolin Kung Fu or Shaolin Wushu is one of the oldest and most famous styles of wushu. In Shaolin there are thousands of youngsters practicing many hours a day and dreaming of becoming a Kung Fu star. Shaolin is close to the city of Zhengzhou.
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Longmen cave-temple complex, Luoyang
Huge Buddha statue in the Longmen cave-temple complex near Luoyang This impressive temple complex is located 12 kilometres south of Luoyang in Henan province. There are thousands of Buddhist statues which were carved as outside rock reliefs and inside artificial caves excavated from the limestone cliffs. The huge statue of Shakyamuni Buddha is “looking” over the Yi River.
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Terracotta Army in Xi’an
Terracotta Army in Xi’an The Terracotta Army is the name for the archaeological find of about 8,000 terracotta figures that were given as grave goods to the first emperor of China, Qin Shi Huangdi. The terracotta figures are located between Mount Li and the city of Xi’an (Shaanxi province, China). The remains at the tomb of Emperor Qin Shi Huangdi are a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
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Xi’an City Wall
The fortifications of Xi’an or Xi’an City Wall This impressive wall is one of the oldest, largest and best preserved Chinese city walls.
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Great Mosque of Xi’an, Shaanxi, China
The Great Mosque of Xi’an in Shaanxi province. The Great Mosque was first build in 742. It’s located in the Muslim quarter Xi’an and still an active place of worship.
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Forbidden City, Beijing, China
The entrance to the Forbidden City at Tiananmen Square in Beijing, China The Chinese emperors of the Ming and Qing Dynasty ruled their empire from The Forbidden City. Located in the center of the Chinese capital Beijing, the city was built and completed under the emperor Yongle in 1422. It is surrounded by numerous imperial gardens and temples. Above the entrance you can see the portrait of the Chinese leader Mao Zedong. On normal days the complex is crowded with (Chinese) tourists. Inside the Forbidden City Another part of the Forbidden City. In the background one can see the White Dagoba (a stupa) on Qionghua Island (Jade Flower Island) in…
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Great Wall of China between Jinshanling and Simatai
Part of the Great Wall of China between Jinshanling and Simatai From Beijing we made a daytrip to the Great Wall of China. We went to Jinshanling by micro bus and from there we walked up to the Great Wall and over the wall to Simatai (few kilometers southeast of Jinshanling and around 150 km North East of Beijing). During the walk we passed many watch towers and had excellent views of the spectacular surroundings.
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Great Hall of the People
The Great Hall of the People in Beijing The Great Hall of the People is a state building west of Tiananmen Square in Beijing. It is used for legislative and ceremonial activities by the government of China. As you can derive from the small size of the people standing on the chairs to the entrance of the building, the Great Hall is really great. The Great Hall of the People consists of three sections, the central part includes the Great Auditorium, with can simultaneously seat 10,000 representatives.
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Mausoleum of Mao Zedong, Tiananmen Square, Beijing
The Mausoleum of Mao Zedong, Tiananmen Square, Beijing The Mausoleum of Mao Zedong (or Chairman Mao Memorial Hall) is the final resting place of Mao Zedong, the chairman of the Communist Party of China, who died on September 9, 1976. An enormous building which, given Mao’s wish to be cremated, is quite unusual. His wish was ignored and his body was embalmed and mummified. China’s leaders believed that his body should be preserved for posterity.
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Gatehouse Zhengyangmen, Tiananmen Square, Beijing
Gatehouse Zhengyangmen This 42 meters tall gatehouse is situated to the south of Tiananmen Square and once guarded the southern entry into the Inner City. Zhengyangmen was first build during the Ming dynasty in the early years of the 15th century. On this hot summer day, hundreds of swallows flew around the gate. In this photo you can see them as tiny black dots against the blue sky.
