Hickman travels to China

China

China has one of the world's oldest civilizations, consisting of states and cultures dating back more than six millennia. It has the world's longest continuously used written language system, and is the source of many major inventions, such as paper, the compass, gunpowder, and printing. Historically, China's cultural sphere has extended across East Asia, with Chinese religion, customs, and writing systems being adopted to varying degrees by neighbors such as Japan, Korea and Vietnam.

Navigation

In loving memory

Gerri Hickman

1953-2005

Dedicated to the life and memory of Gerri Hickman. Loving wife, mother, sister, daughter, friend and teacher. Gerri was only 52 years old when she lost her 4 year battle with breast cancer on 9 April 2005.

Travels to China

November 2002 - Kunming, China Had a few hour layover in Kunming on my way to Lijiang. Was quite surprised to find such blue skies and great scenery. Kunming, which is situated in central Yunnan and north of the Dianchi Basin, is skirted on three sides by mountains, with one side opening onto the Dianchi Lake. The city is nicknamed "City of Spring" due to the fact that it is covered all the year round with the rich verdure of trees and plants. Endowed with a pleasant climate, the city's 15,000 square kilometres of land is adorned with more than 400 kinds of flowers. Kunming is world-famous for its abundance of camellias, orchids, azaleas and Primula malacoides , which can be found in the Kunming Botanical Garden, where 4,000 varieties of tropical and subtropical plants grow profusely. Kunming is also a renowned historical and cultural city in southwest China. In ancient times it was an important gateway to the celebrated Silk Road which conducted to Tibet, Sichuan, Myanmar and India. The city's highland scenery is alluring, its karst landform is bewitching. Its people are known for their varied and exotic habits and customs, and its land is pockmarked with historical artefacts, places of cultural interest, and gardens landscaped with a picturesque taste. Among the major scenic spots of Kunming are the Dianchi Lake, the Cuihu Lake, the Village of Ethnic Culture, the Jindian (Golden Temple) Park, the Western Mountain Forest Reserve, the Stone Forest, the Jiuxiang Scenic Belt, the Yuantong Mountain, the Grand View Pavilion, and the Qiongzhu Temple. Made a quick trip to Lijiang, Naxi Autonomous District, China and found a truly great destination. Warm hospitable people, blue skies and snow capped peaks. The Yangzi River and the Yellow River are well-known as the two longest rivers in China and are noted as " Giant Asian Rivers". Situated between 99o 30' E to 100o 50' E and 26o N to 27o 50' N, Lijiang can be easily located by every tourist from abroad when they trace along the Yangzi River from its mouth in Shanghai back toward its source. The ancient town of Lijiang is a traveller's wonderland which has been classified as a World-class Cultural Legacy by UNESCO, "National level Scenic Zone" and a "National Town of History and Culture". Lijiang is a beautiful shining jewel on the Northwest Yunnan Plateau neighbouring the southeast side of the Tibetan Plateau which is considered to be the "Roof of the World" . It covers an area of 20,600 square kilometres with a population of 1,030 ,000. The whole district is comprised of four counties: Lijiang, Yongsheng, Huaping and Ninglang. LiJiang's weather is remark-ably pleasant. Spring there lasts as long as 241 days and there is no hot summer. Lijiang is 603 kilometres away from Kunming and 280 kilometres from the JingJiang Railway Station on the Kunming - Chengdu line. The airport in LiJiang had been opened in 1994. Lijiang boasts of breath - take in wonderful sights such as Jade Dragon Snow Mountain (Yulong Xueshan) and its modern maritime glacier, the only one of its kind in the southern end of the Northern Hemisphere; Tiger Leaping Gorge ( Hutiaoxia ); the world - famous grand canyon; Lugu Lake, the cultural cradle of the "Matriarchy" of the Yongning Mosuo people in Ninglang; the Old Town of Dayan Lijiang, which is referred to by European and American tourists as the "Oriental Venice" .All these natural sceneries and these cultural treasures of the minority peoples, such as Dongba Culture, Naxi Classical Music, Baisha Murals and Mosuo Customs, have been continuously drawing tourists from all over the world and have recently vote Lijiang as one of the favourite destinations in China. In 1989, Lijiang was ranked as a Level - 1 Tourism Hot Spot of China by the Yunnan Tourism Bureau. In 1992, it was rated as one of the four provincial - level travel zones of Yunnan by the provincial government. There is a saying which goes: "Visit not Lijiang, visit not Yunnan !" Lijiang is now opening its gate ready to heartily welcome guests from all over the world and show off its exotic and alluring scenery as well as the rich and colourful ethnic customs of its people.