The Matriarchal Mosuo People - Jingdezhen

In the northeast part of Lijiang Prefecture, southwest China, lies Lugu Lake, around which live 30,000 members of the Mosuo ethnic group. Their society is matriarchal. The beautiful Mosuo girl, together with the group's exquisitely made canoes and the fisherman's songs heard everywhere are called the "Three Matchless Things of the Lake." With the construction of the LijiangNinglang Highway, to b...

The Capital of Porcelain - Jingdezhen

Located in northeastern Jiangxi Province, Jingdezhen is one of the famous historic and cultural cities in China. It has a 1,000-year history of making porcelain, and has long been known as the "capital of porcelain." During the Sui and Tang dynasties, the white-glazed porcelain produced in Jingdezhen was called "artificial jadeware." The major tourist spots include the Hutian Ancient Porcelain...

Ancient Gyangze City

Located in the Tibet Autonomous Region, Gyangze has a history of more than 700 years, and is one of the nation's famous historic and cultural cities. It is a perfect example of the city layout of old Tibet, and a stroll through its streets is like going back in time. Gyangze boasts the well-known Baiju Temple and the best-preserved ancient castle in Tibet.

Ancient Yangliuqing Town near Tianjin

The Shi Mansion, located in the 1,000 year-old town of Yangliuqing, which is famous for its New Year pictures, was the old residence of the Shi family, one of the eight prominent families in Tianjin in the Qing Dynasty, and was called the "No.1 Mansion in North China." It covers an area of 6,080 sq m and has four rows of buildings of antique flavor boasting exquisite brick, wood and stone carv...

Ancient Xidi and Hongcun Villages

The old houses in Xidi and Hongcun villages, in Yixian County in the south of Anhui Province, were included in Unesco's World Cultural Heritage list in November 2000. These houses provide valuable materials for the study of the history of Chinese civilian residential housing, living environment, architecture, local history and customs. Viewed from above, the two villages look like a black buff...

The Ancient City of Lijiang

Also known as Dayan Town, Lijiang was built in the Southern Song Dynasty (1127-1279). It is localed in Lijiangba, Yunnan Province. It is the center of the Dongba Culture of the Naxi ethnic group and a meeting place of the Han, Tibetan, Bai and other ethnic group's cultures. It is rich in sites of historical and cultural interest. The Yuquan River splits into three at the city gate, and the cle...

Ancient Waterside Towns in the Region South of the Yangtze River

Jiangsu and Zhejiang provinces, south of the Yangtze River, have been noted for their charm since ancient times. Here, rivers and lakes crisscross, small bridges span flowing streams, ancient towns and small cities slumber near the fields and villages, presenting a picturesque scene. Among the ancient towns, six are known far and near, three of which are in Zhejiang Province and the other thre...

Pingyao Ancient City

Located in the central part of Shanxi Province, Pingyao City has a very long history. Ruins of the Yangshao and Longshan cultures prove that people lived there some five or six thousand years ago. Of Pingyao's many cultural relics and ancient buildings, the city walls, Shuanglin Temple and Zhenguo Temple are under state protection. The city walls were skillfully designed and constructed and th...