A group of farmers worked the earth outside of Xi’an. It was early spring, and they’d need the additional water source for coming summer. But they found something there, buried underground, which would come to be considered one of the greatest archeological discoveries in history. The year was 1974, and the farmers had unearthed one …
China
The Longji Rice Terraces: Along the Dragon’s Backbone
In the northernmost part of Guangxi province, up along a winding road more harrowing than most, are the fabled Longji Rice Terraces — also known as The Dragon’s Backbone. The name comes from their appearance: like scales on the flanks of a giant dragon lying coiled in the hills. There are actually several terraces connected by …
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Guide to Hiking in Yubeng
It started with Tinder. I know, I know, that sounds bad. But if it wasn’t for Tinder, I might never have heard of that place in an alpine valley mere kilometers from the Tibetan border. I might never have seen the photos of misting waterfalls, glacial lakes, and fluttering prayer flags which inspired me to alter …
Five Things to Do in Shangri-la
It’s a name which evokes a sense of wonderment: Shangri-la. In perhaps the most brazen ploy for tourism revenue in recorded history, the Chinese government renamed the town of Zhongdian in northern Yunnan to Shangri-la in 2001. While the name change was shameless and crass, Shangri-la isn’t entirely undeserving of the moniker. In fact, I’d …
Tiger Leaping Gorge: the Full Trek
My pack sat heavy on my shoulders as I set off along the road, squinting up against the sun to see the path snake up the hillside. It would be a tough hike, that first day at Tiger Leaping Gorge, but not an overly long one. I’d decided to spend two nights in the Gorge, so I …
The Hungry Ghost of Xingping
For a more complete experience, read the first in this series: The Haunting at Jangsa Beach. This story jumps the Yellow Sea from the Korean Peninsula to the karst-studded plains of Southern China. While the area now is beautiful and calm, dark secrets lie buried beneath its placid surface. That brings us to this story: …
The Old Town of Lijiang
‘The Black Spot of China’s Tourism Industry’. That’s the moniker often given to the Old Town of Lijiang. Even travel guides mention it. The name has to do with the heavy-handed restoration efforts to local Naxi-style buildings and an influx of Han Chinese putting on traditional Naxi getup to give the place an ‘ethnic’ flair. Perhaps that’s a byproduct …
Yangshuo: A River Runs Through It
After a week in big cities, I needed some solace. Xingping had been a welcome respite, but the town was still busy during the day and not nearly quiet enough for me. Yangshuo — the town itself — was even crazier. The main tourist drag, West Street, had a carnival atmosphere ill-suited to relaxation. So …
Five Things to Do in Xingping
Not even a 3 hour ride via high speed rail from the urban sprawl of Guangzhou, the Chinese countryside begins to change. Vast coastal plains shrouded in haze and chewed up by the grinding mouth of urbanization give way to scenes lifted from those old Chinese paintings — sheer limestone karsts topped with hanging greenery …