REFLECTIONS IN A CHINESE EYE

The Monks of Kubla Khan

Text based on Budge, E.A. Wallis. The Monk of Kublai Khan, Emperor of China; or The History of the Life and Travels of Rabban Sawma, Envoy and Plenipotentiary of the Mongol Khans to the Kings of Europe and Markos who as Yahbh-Allaha III Became Patriarch of the Nestorian Church in Asia. London: The Religious Tract Society, 1928.

Bar Sauma

 

Brief Biography: Bar Sauma, born in Tai-tu (Northern China) about 1260, was a descendant of the Onggud Turks who joined the Mongols early in the reign of Chinggis Khan. Like other Onggud Turks, his family were members of the Nestorian church, the most active Christian church in Central Asia. By the age of twenty-five, Sauma had taken vows to become a Nestorian monk and built a cell to meditate in isolation. Able to read Syraic, Turkic, and possibly Chinese, he was well-educated as well as pious. Fired by a zeal to visit Nestorian monuments in the Middle East and Jerusalem, Sauma and his student Markos, later to become the patriarch and leader of the Nestorian church centered in Baghdad, set out on their arduous pilgrimage sometime before 1278. They reached the Mongol territories in Persia, but were unable to continue their journey to Jerusalem because of the political situation. Instead Sauma eventually found himself appointed to a diplomatic mission which would take him to Constantinople, Genoa, Paris, Bordeaux, and Rome and which would involve negotiations for joint operations to force the Mamluks of Egypt out of the Holy Land. He died in Baghdad in 1313 without reaching Jerusalem.

Brief Itinerary: Leaving Taitu shortly after Marco Polo arrived in China, Sauma and Markos followed the Yellow River southwest to Ningxia. From there, they took the southern silk road below the Taklamakan Desert passing through Miran and following a course along the Chenchen river for about 500 miles to Khotan. The section of their travel from Ningxia to Khotan took two months. They proceeded to Kashgar, Talas, and Tus, the Ilykhan capital of Khurasan, Maragha, and finally Baghdad. From there the two men travelled to Nestorian centers in Beth Garmai, Arbil, Mosul, and back to Baghdad. From there they went to Tabriz and Ani, and then headed to port cities abong the Black Sea. At this point Armenian and Georgian friends advised them of the great danger of trying to reach the Holy Land, so they return to Maragha.

Syrian translator's Prayer and Preface omitted.

CHAPTER I.

THE HISTORY OF RABBAN SAWMA.

There was a certain man who was a believer, and he was a nobleman and a fearer of God. He was rich in the things of this world, and he was well endowed with the qualities of nature; he belonged to a famous family and a well-known tribe. His name was SHIBAN the Sa'ora (i.e. the Inspector or Visitor--Periodeutes). He dwelt in the city which is called KHAN BALIGH or KHAN BALIK (i.e. Pekin), that is to say (4) the royal city in the country of the East. He married according to the law a woman whose name was KEYAMTA. And when they had lived together for a long time, and they had no heir, they prayed to God continually and besought Him with frequent supplications not to deprive them of a son who would continue [their] race. And He who giveth comfort in His gracious mercy received their petition, and He showed them compassion. For it is His wont to receive the entreaty of those who are broken of heart, and-to hearken unto the groaning of those who make supplications and petitions [to Him]. " Everyone who asketh

HISTORY OF RABBAN SAWMA 125

receiveth; and he who seeketh findeth, and to him that knocketh it is opened to him " (Matt. vii. 8), He said, confidently concerning the certain hope. And behold, this is performed for both orders (i.e. sexes), namely, men and women, when petitions are presented with a right intention. For behold, Hanna, the wife of Halkana was not prohibited, seeing that she made entreaty with a right object (I Sam. i. 10 ff.), and the wife of Menokh (Manoah) was not rejected, and she received the angel readily in her chamber (Judges xiii. 2 f.).

Now God made the spirit of conception to breathe upon the woman Keyamta, and she brought forth a (5) son, and they called his name " SAWMA" [i.e. the son who was obtained by fasting; his full name was " BAR SAWMA," i.e.; the " son of the fast."]. And they rejoiced [with] a great joy, neighbours of his family and his relations rejoiced at his birth.

And when they had brought him (after a praiseworthy system of education) to the period when he was capable of receiving instruction, they handed him over to a worthy teacher, and before him (i.e. under his direction) they trained him diligently in ecclesiastical learning; and they betrothed him to a maiden and rejoiced in him. He was held to be worthy to receive the grade of priest, and he was numbered among the ranks (?) of the clergy, and he became Keeper in

126 THE MONKS OF KUBLAI KHAN

the church of above-mentioned city. He led a life of strict chastity and humility, and he devoted himself with great diligence to the acquisition of spiritual excellences, and he struggled to make himself fit for the things of the world which is to come. And when he was twenty years of age the divine fire was kindled in his heart, and it burned up the brambles (or thorny growth) of sin, and cleansed his chaste soul from impurity and contamination of every kind. For he preferred more than any other thing whatsoever the love of his Lord, and, grasping the plough, he was unwilling to look behind him (Luke ix. 62). He cast away forthwith the shadow of the world, and renounced straightway the desirable things thereof. (6) He esteemed dainty meats as things which had no existence, and he rejected wholly the drinks which make a man drunk.

Now when his parents perceived this, great pain overtook them, and acute sorrow cleaved to them, because their only son was separating himself from them. They rose up and with broken hearts made supplication to him, and brought before him promises of things of this world, saying, "Why, O our precious son, is separation from us beloved by thee? How is it that our affliction is desired by thee? Why is our mourning sweet in thy sight? Consider now. To whom will our wealth revert? Think, who is our heir? Ponder well who will be the master of the [produce of] our toil?

HISTORY OF RABBAN SAWMA 127

How can it possibly be pleasing to thee for our seed and name to be blotted out? Why doth the thought of thy heart suggest that strangers should be our heirs?" And having persuaded him with tears in this manner, and having stirred up grief in him by their lamentation and talk similar [to that given above], he hearkened to them outwardly, and dwelt with them as far as his body was concerned, but very unwillingly. And during the three years in which he ministered to his parents according to the body, he never (7) ceased from his toil, and he contended continually in his laborious career.

And when [his parents] saw that their exhortations were of no avail, and that, in comparison with the love of Christ, their words were accounted as nothing, they left him to perform his desire. Then he divided all his possessions, that is to say, his apparel and his clothing generally (or furniture), among the poor, and took the garb of the monk; and he received the tonsure from the holy and pious father, Mar Giwargis (George) the Metropolitan. And he began to toil in the vineyard of his Lord with the hope of the kingdom which is to come, and the confidence the possession of heavenly happiness, and that he would receive the whole dinar as his wages. (Matt. xx. 1-16). He set apart a cell for himself and he shut himself up therein seven years; and after that [period] he decided to remove

128 THE MONKS OF KUBLAI KHAN

himself from the children of men, and to practice himself in the ascetic life in the mountain, in a place which was wholly isolated, so that he might rest there [undisturbed] in his life as a recluse. Then he set out and went a journey of one day from their [i.e. his parents'] city, and he elected to dwell there. And he found (8) a certain place where there was a cave, and there was by the side of it in that mountain a spring of water. And he dwelt there peacefully and thanked his Lord, which held him to be so worthy that at length the report of him went forth in that region, and men used to gather together about him to hear his words, and honour was set apart for him (i.e. ascribed to him) by every man.

 

CHAPTER II.

THE HISTORY OF MAR YAHBH-ALLAHA,

THE CATHOLICUS AND PATRIARCH OF THE EAST.

In the foreknowledge of God everything is known. And the thoughts of the children of men, whether they belong to the right hand (i.e. be good), or whether they belong to the left hand (i.e. be bad), all of them, even before they are formed in the breast, are revealed unto Him. He therefore, in accordance with their character, elects and makes righteous [if they be good], and because of them [if they be bad] He chastiseth and punisheth. Now unto Moses it was said, "Behold, I have given thee [as] God to Pharaoh." (Exod. vii. I). And his election maketh known concerning the good disposition [of Moses] (9) and the hardness of the heart of Pharaoh. For even before Pharaoh existed, it was known [to God] that he would be hard: [of heart], and he was rejected. For unto Jeremiah God said, " Before I had formed thee in the belly I knew thee, 'and before thou didst go forth from the womb I sanctified thee and gave thee to be a prophet to the nations" (Jer. i. 5). And Paul said, "God hath not cast aside His people who from the very beginning were known to Him" (Rom. xi. I, 2),

130 THE MONKS OF KUBLAI KHAN

because assuredly, of [their] good will and pure thoughts. Now, certain characteristics of election make themselves visible in the person of him that is elected, and certain radiances shine forth from him which makes known that he is worthy of grace. The man who hath an enlightened mind perceiveth these, but the man who hath not an understanding mind knoweth them not. Since the person about whom we are going to speak was elected because of his superior discipline (or, exalted life), it is necessary for us to describe the manner of his election, and show how of a certainty it contributed to the perfect will.

There was, in the city of KAWSHANG, of the country of the East, a certain righteous and believing man (10), pure and spotless, who served God continually in His church, and observed His laws strictly and carefully. [The city of Kawshang, i.e. Kung-Tschang lay between Pekin and Tangut, and was about fifteen days' journey from the former city. Chabot would identify it with Ho-tchung-fu in the province of Shan-si.] His name was BAYNIEL; he was an archdeacon and he had four sons. The youngest of them [who was born in the year of our Lord 1245] was called MARKOS (Mark), and he was trained in ecclesiastical learning more than all his brethren……….

[The text is defective here, or some words have been omitted.]

HISTORY OF YAHBH-ALLAHA 131

and they admonished (or exhorted) him concerning these and much like matters, and it seemed to them that they might be talking rather to a statue than to a rational man. But even after suffering affliction in many ways he did not turn back from his course, and his mind did not resist from its quest. On the contrary he made straight his aim, and after fifteen days of great labour he arrived at the place where RABBAN SAWMA was. And he gave the salutation of peace to RABBAN SAWMA, who rejoiced in him and received him gladly.

And after MARK had rested and was refreshed RABBAN SAWMA asked him, saying, "My son, whence comest thou? And how did it happen to thee that thou hast come to this mountain? (11) In what city do thy kinsfolk dwell? Who is thy father, and whose son art thou? "

And MARK answered him, saying, " I am the son of Bayniel the archdeacon of the city of Kawshang, and I am called ' Mark.' "

And RABBAN SAWMA said unto him, "What is thy reason for coming to me with such labour and fatigue?" And MARK said unto him, "I wish to become a monk (or anchorite). Because I heard the report of thee I dropped everything and have sought thee; deprive me not of my desire." And RABBAN SAWMA said unto him, "O our brother, this path is difficult. Even the old [and experienced] monks endure the hardness

132 THE MONKS OF KUBLAI KHAN

thereof with the greatest difficulty; shall I permit youths and children to Journey on it?" And having besought him for many reasons to return to his parents, and MARK having refused to do so, RABBAN SAWMA admitted him [to his cell] and taught him; and he clothed him in a woollen garment, and made him to labour in the ascetic life. After three years MARK received the tonsure, that is to say the garb of the monk, from the pious Metropolitan MAR NESTORIS (Nestorius) on the first day of the week, or the Sunday [when the prayer beginning] "Rukha Paraklita" is said. And he continued to perform many ascetic labours and kept the fasts which lasted all day until the evening. And [the monks] in that mountain used to toil in (12) the cultivation of purity and holiness, and they were comforted by God unto Whom they had committed their souls.

CHAPTER III.

RABBAN SAWMA AND RABBAN MARKOS WISH

TO GO

TO JERUSALEM

One day they meditated, saying, "It would be exceedingly helpful to us if we were to leave this region and set out for the West, for we could then [visit] the tombs of the holy martyrs and Catholic Fathers and be blessed [by them]. And if Christ, the Lord of the Universe, prolonged our lives, and sustained us by His grace, we could go to Jerusalem, so that we might receive complete pardon for our offences, and absolution for our sins of foolishness. Now although RABBAN SAWMA opposed RABBAN MARK, and [tried to] frighten him with the toil of the journey, and the fatigue of travelling, and the terror of the ways, and the tribulations that would beset him in a (13) foreign country, RABBAN MARK burned to set out on the road. His mind seemed to reveal to him that there were treasures laid up for him in the West, and he pressed RABBAN SAWMA with his words, and importuned him to depart. And the two of them having agreed together that neither of them should be separated from his companion, even if one of them might have to

134 THE MONKS OF KUBLAI KHAN

submit to what was evil for his sake, they rose up and distributed their furniture, and the objects which they used in everyday life, among the poor, and they went to that city (i.e. Pekin) so that they might take companions for the journey [i.e. join a caravan] and provide themselves with food for the way.

Now when the Christians who were living there became acquainted with them, and knew their intention, they gathered together about them so that they might make them abandon their plan. And they said [unto them}, "Peradventure ye do not know how very far off that region is to which ye would go? Or, perhaps ye have not the least idea in your minds, or have forgotten, how difficult it will be for you to travel over the roads, and that ye will never reach there? Nay, sit ye down here, and strive to perform the works whereunto ye have been called. For it is said, 'The kingdom of heaven is within you'" (Luke xvii. 21). And RABBAN SAWMA and RABBAN MARK replied, "It is a long time since we (14) put on the garb of the monastic life, and we have renounced the world; we consider ourselves to be dead men in respect of it. Toil doth not terrify us, neither doth fear disturb us. There is, however, one thing which we ask of you: for the love of Christ pray for us. And ye shall cast away the word which would produce doubt (or hesitation), and shall make supplication to God that our desire may be

TRAVELS OF SAWMA AND MARKOS 135

fulfilled." [And the Christians of that city] said, "Depart in peace." And they kissed each other, and parted with bitter tears and distressful words, saying, "Depart in peace. And may our Lord, Whom ye seek, be with you, and may He allot to you that which is pleasing to Him, and will be of help to you! Amen."

And RABBAN SAWMA and RABBAN MARK came to the city of KAWSHANG. And when the people of the city and the parents of RABBAN MARK heard that these two monks had come there, they went out to meet them with joy, and they welcomed them with gladness and delight, and they escorted them into the church with great honour. And they enquired of them how they had come to make the journey thither. Now they thought that the two monks were going to tarry with them, and that RABBAN MARK had done so in order that he might be near the people of his family (I5). And when they knew of a certainty that they were going to Jerusalem, and that they had made their plan to travel to the West, they suffered greatly and were sorely afflicted.

And the report of the arrival of the two monks reached the lords of that city, KONBOGHA (i.e. Sun-worshipper) and IFOGHA (or IBOGHA) (i.e. Moon-worshipper), the sons-in-law of the King of Kings, KUBLAI KHAN (Plate XII), and as soon as they heard the report they sent messengers and had

136 THE MONKS OF KUBLAI KHAN

the two monks brought to the Camp. And they received them with gladness, and the fire of love for them burned in their breasts. And when the Lords knew that they were "going to flee from us," they began to say unto them, "Why are ye leaving this country of ours and going to the West? For we have taken very great trouble to draw hither monks and fathers from the West. How can we allow you to go away?" RABBAN SAWMA said unto them, "We (16) have cast away the world. And as long as we live in the society of men there will be no peace to us. Therefore it is right that we should flee because of the love of Christ, Who gave Himself unto death for our redemption. Whatsoever is in the world we have cast behind us. Although your love moveth us not to depart, and your gracious goodness would hold us fast, and your alms are bestowed upon us lavishly; and although it is grateful to us to sojourn with you, we remember the Lord's word which saith, 'What shall it profit a man if he possess the whole world and lose his soul? And what shall a man give as a substitute for his soul?' (Matt. xvi. 26). We earnestly desire the separation, but wherever we shall be we shall always remember, according to our feebleness, both by night and by day, your kingdom in [our] prayers."

And when the Lords of the city saw that their words had no effect upon them, and that they would

TRAVELS OF SAWMA AND MARKOS 137

not yield to their persuasion, they selected for them gifts, namely, beasts on which to ride, and gold, and silver, and wearing apparel [and rugs]. Then the two monks said, "We have no need of any [of these things]. For what can we do with these possessions? (17) And how can we possibly carry such a weight [as] this?" And the kings mentioned above replied, "Ye have no knowledge of the length of this journey, and the expenses which it demands. We, however, do know, and we advise you not to set out empty [handed]; if ye do ye will be unable to arrive at the place which ye have decided to be your destination. Accept then these gifts from us as a loan (or trust), and if some occasion of necessity should befall you, spend what ye need from them; if, on the other hand, the necessity does not arise, and ye arrive safe and sound, distribute them among the monasteries and habitations of the monks which are there, and the Fathers (i.e. Bishops), so that we may enjoy association with our Western Fathers. For it is said, 'Let your superfluity be [a supply] for those who are in want' " (2 Cor. viii. 13). Then the two monks, seeing that the kings were giving with a sincere heart, accepted what they gave to them. And they bade farewell to them sorrowfully, and they shed tears wherewith joy was mingled.

And they came from thence to the city of TANGOTH [i.e. TANGKUT, or TANGAT, or THANGCHU,

138 THE MONKS OF KUBLAI KHAN

a country in Central Asia; its capital was HIATCHEU, or NING-HIA-FU]. When the people of that city heard (18) that RABBAN SAWMA and RABBAN MARK had come there in order to go to Jerusalem, they went forth eagerly to meet them, that is to say, old men and women, young men and youths, and boys and young children, for the people of TANGOTH were ardent believers, and their minds were pure. And they loaded the two monks with gifts of every kind, and they received their blessings, and a crowd escorted them on their way, and shed tears, saying, "The Lord Who hath elected you to the honour of His service shall Himself be with you. Amen."

And from there they went to the country of LOTON [? KHOTAN, or HO-THIAN, or YUTHIAN, a city between TANGOTH and KASHGAR], a toilsome and fatiguing journey of two months; the region was a bare and barren desert and it was without inhabitants, because its waters were bitter, and no crops are sown there. And on the whole journey there were only eight days when, with the greatest difficulty, was sweet water found which the travellers could carry with them.(1) And in the days when they arrived at LOTON it happened that a war was raging between the King of Kings (19) KUBLAI KHAN and King OKO ['O-'ho, Commander-in-chief of the army of Mien?].

---

(1) Or perhaps the meaning is, "was sweet water found wherewith to load (i.e. to fill) the water-skins."

---

TRAVELS OF SAWMA AND MARKOS 139

And OKO had fled from him and had entered [this] country, and destroyed thousands of men therein. The caravan roads and ways had been cut, and grain (?) was scarce and could not be found; and many died of hunger and perished through want.

And after six months the two monks went forth from that place and came to the country of KASHKAR [or KASHGAR, a city on the frontiers of CHINA and TURKESTAN]. And they saw that the city was empty of its inhabitants, because it had been already plundered by the enemy. And because the aim of the monks was right, and they pleased God with all their hearts, He delivered them from every affliction, and no suffering attacked them, and He saved them from obstructions by highway robbers and thieves.

And they came to the place where King KAIDO [a nephew of KUBLAI KHAN] was encamped by the Teleos (i.e. TALAS). And they went into his presence, and prayed that his life would be preserved, and they blessed his kingdom, and they asked him for a written order so that no man in his country might do them harm. And with the greatest difficulty (20) and in a state of exhaustion whereto fear was added, they arrived at KHORASAN, [a province of north-eastern Persia, which lay between Persian 'Irak and Afghanistan]. Having lost the greater part of what they had on the road, they went to the monastery of Saint MAR SEHYON,

140 THE MONKS OF KUBLAI KHAN

which was in the neighbourhood of the city of TUS [the capital of KHORASAN], and they were blessed by the bishop who lived therein and by the monks. And they thought (i.e. felt) that they had been born into the world anew, and they gave thanks unto God in Whom they had trusted; they had placed their hope in Him, and had been delivered, for He is the sustainer and helper of every one who maketh entreaty unto Him.

And having enjoyed the conversation of those brethren they set out to go to ADHORBIJAN [a frontier province of Persia, on the north-west], so that they might travel from there to BAGHDAD, to MAR DENHA, the Catholicus [he succeeded MAKIKA A.GR. I577=A.D. 1266, according to Bar Hebraeus, Chron. Eccles., sect. ii, p. 439]. Now; it happened that Mar Catholicus had come to MARAGHAH [a town of ADHORBIJAN the capital of HULAGU KHAN], and they met him there. And at the sight of him their joy grew great, and their gladness was increased, and their minds were made to be at peace, and their anxious thoughts were set at rest. And they fell down on the ground before him, and they wept as they did homage to him (21) and they behaved as if they saw our Lord JESUS CHRIST in the person of MAR DENHA, the Catholicus. May his memory be for blessing! And they said unto him, "The mercies of God [shown to us] are many, and His grace is poured out abundantly upon us since

TRAVELS OF SAWMA AND MARKOS 141

we have seen the glorious and spiritual face of our General Father." And when he asked them, "Whence [come] ye?" they replied, "From the countries of the East, from KHAN BALIK, the city of the King of Kings [KUBLAI] KHAN. We have come to be blessed by you, and by the Fathers (i.e. Bishops), and the monks, and the holy men of this quarter of the world. And if a road [openeth] to us, and God hath mercy upon us, we shall go to JERUSALEM.

And when the Catholicus saw their tears, and that they were moved with gladness at their meeting with him, his mercy showed itself unto them, and he comforted them and said unto them, Assuredly, O my sons, the Angel of Providence shall protect you on this difficult journey, and he shall be a guide unto you until the completion of your quest. Let not your toil make you sad, for it is said in the Prophet (22) 'Those who sow in tears, shall reap in joy' (Ps. cxxvi. 5). That for which ye hope ye shall attain, and in return for the sufferings and tribulations which ye will have to bear, ye shall receive a perfect recompense and wages twofold in this world, and never-failing good things and never-ending delights in the world which is to come." And they did homage to him, and gave thanks to him.

And having enjoyed intercourse with him for a few days they brought forward [the following]

142 THE MONKS OF KUBLAI KHAN

request: " If we have found mercy (i.e. favour) in the eyes of Mar our Father, let him permit us to go to BAGHDAD, in order that we may receive a blessing from the holy sepulchres (or relics?) of MAR MARI [the disciple of Saint ADDAI, Bar Hebraeus, Chron. Eccles., sect. ii, p. 15], the Apostle, the teacher of the East, and those of the Fathers that are there. And from there we would go to the monasteries that are in the countries of BETH GARMAI and in NISIBIS that we may be blessed there also, and demand assistance."

And when the Catholicus saw the beauty of their object, and the innocence of their minds, and the honesty of their thoughts, he said unto them, "Go ye, my sons, and may Christ, the Lord of the Universe, grant unto you your petition (23) from His rich and overflowing treasury, and may He grant you a full measure of His grace, and may His compassion accompany you whithersoever ye go. And he wrote for them a pethikha (i.e. a letter of introduction) to these countries so that they might be honourably entreated whithersoever they went; and he sent with them a man to show them the way, and to act as guide along the roads.

And they arrived in Baghdad, and thence they went to the Great Church of KOKE [at Ctesiphon wherein every Catholicus was consecrated]. And they went to the monastery of MAR MARI, the Apostle, and received a blessing from the sepulchres

TRAVELS OF SAWMA AND MARKOS 143

(or relics?) of that country. And from there they turned back and came to the country of BETH GARMAI, and they received blessings from the shrine (or tomb) of MAR EZEKIEL [the prophet, near Dakok], which was full of helps and healings. And from there they went to ARBIL, and thence to MAWSIL (i.e. Mosul on the Tigris). And they went SHIGAR (SINJAR), and NISIBIS, and MERDA (MARDIN); and were blessed by the shrine [containing] the bones of MAR AWGIN, the second CHRIST. And thence they went to GAZARTA of BETH ZABHDAI, and they were blessed by all the shrines and monasteries, and the religious houses, and monks, and the Fathers (i.e. Bishops) in their dioceses. And they paid the vows which they had laid upon themselves, and they spread (24) tables of food [wherefrom all might eat], and they gave alms and oblations wherever they went. And they turned back and came to the holy monastery of MAR MICHAEL of TAR'IL. And they bought a cell, and both of them were received by the monks who were there. And the thought which made them toil through the journey had rest, although they had not arrived at the end of [their] expectation.

Now when MAR DENHA or DENKHA, the Catholicus, heard of their manner of life, he sent and asked them to go to him; and they went forthwith and gave him the customary salutation.

And he said unto them, " We have heard that ye

144 THE MONKS OF KUBLAI KHAN

have been received into a monastery. This however, doth not please us. For whilst the two of you sojourn in the monastery ye will be able to make perfect your own peace (or rest), and that is all that ye will do, but if ye abide with us ye will bring benefit and peace (or rest) to the whole community. Therefore stay ye with us, and support the Door of the Kingdom [compare Sublime Porte] in whatever manner cometh to your hands." And they said unto him, "Whatsoever thou commandest (25), O our Father, we will do." And the Catholicus said unto them, "Ye shall go to King ABGHA [or ABAGHA KHAN, or ABAKA KHAN, the son and successor of HULAGU KHAN, and great grandson of Chingiz Khan, who ascended the throne of Persia as the second Mongol Khan in 1265], and obtain for us PUKDANE (i.e. written orders, or letters patent confirming his appointment as Catholicus)." And the two monks said unto him, "Thus shall it be, but let Mar our Father send with us a man who shall take the Pukdana [from the king] and give it to him (i.e. the Catholicus), and we will go on from there to JERUSALEM." And the Catholicus granted them this [request], and gave them blessings on their journey.

And when the two monks went to the Blessed Camp, the Amirs brought them in before the King, and he asked them about the object of their coming, and what their native country was;

TRAVELS OF SAWMA AND MARKOS 145

and they made a reply to him which revealed unto him their object. And ABHGHA KHAN commanded the nobles of his kingdom to fulfil their petition, and to give them the written orders (Pukdane)which they had asked for. And the two monks sent the written order which Mar Catholicus had demanded to him by the hands of his messenger, and they and their companions set out for JERUSALEM.

And when they arrived at the city of Animto [i.e. ANI, the ancient capital of Christian ARMENIA, situated on an affluent of the river Araxes], and saw (26) the monasteries and the churches therein, they marvelled at the great extent of the buildings and at their magnificence. And thence they went towards BETH GURGAYE (i.e. the country of Georgia), so that they might travel by a clear (or safe?) road, but when they arrived there they heard from the inhabitants of the country that the road was cut because of the murders and robberies which had taken place along it.

Read more at The Monks of Kubla Khan

Get ready for the tourist gold rush

WITH an estimated 2 billion new middle-class consumers expected to come into the markets from emerging powerhouses China, India and Brazil over the next two decades, the travel industry sees a potential gold rush ahead.

''The growth of China outbound travel is moving at a huge pace - it is about a 20 per cent increase every year. And the number of outbound Chinese travellers hit 58 million last year,'' said David Scowsill, chief executive of the World Travel and Tourism Council, a US industry promotion group.

''And if you look ahead, [with about] 1.6 billion coming out of China and India, there are a huge amount of people coming in with money to burn.''

Read more at The Sydney Morning Herald

Chinese Tourists Help Boost Asia Travel

 The numbers show the reality of the situation. Chinese tourists spent US$42 billion for their trips out of the country last year, while foreign tourists to China spent US$38 billion in China. This means that China is running a deficit in the tourism sector. Typically, it is the other way around, with Western countries spending and spending, while the Chinese save their money. While the figures do not show the cost of each element of the travel experience, one can do a rough calculation to compare. Some of the common expenses incurred by every traveler are as follows:

• Transportation to the destination
• Visa fees
• Transportation around the destination
  
• Lodging
  
• Food
  
• Entrance fees to various attractions
  
• Souvenirs

One of the reasons many Western tourists choose Asia travel is the relatively cheap price for these main elements. While the main transportation expense is usually the same going from the US or Europe to Asia and vice versa, the local expenses such as food, lodging, souvenirs, and local transportation are typically much cheaper for Asia travel than for travel in the US and Europe. For instance, while traveling in New York City, a hotel will likely cost around US$100 per night. In contrast, getting a room of comparable quality in one of the major cities of South East Asia will cost just US$30 per night.

The increase in Chinese tourists to top Asia travel destinations is due not only to their increased wealth, but also to the easing of travel restrictions by the central Chinese government. In the past, Chinese tourists could only legally visit a select few destinations, but as of this year, Chinese travelers can travel to over 100 countries, including the United States. Approximately 47 million Chinese tourists made treks overseas last year, which follows the overall increasing trend among Chinese tourists.

The increase in tourism is good for those who enjoy Asia travel, since more infrastructure projects will be completed in order to support the increase in tourism traffic. In Bangkok, Thailand, a center for travel in South East Asia, the government recently completed an airport link which allows easy, cheap, and quick access to and from the main international airport there. This is especially good news for Asian tourists who visit Thailand for short time periods and only carry small bags with them. For those who plan to visit Thailand for longer periods of time, taxis are still the main choice of local transportation.

Asia travel will be boosted by the increase in Chinese tourists visiting the countries of East and South East Asia. While things may get a little more crowded, the increase in cash flow into the region will help bolster the quantity and quality of services available to all tourists visiting these destinations.

Rhinocarhire

Airlines chart a course to Asia to meet demand

 

PETER PARKS/AFP/GETTY IMAGESChinese travelers wait for their flights at Beijing airport.

One of Peter Philipp Wingsoe’s employees at a Los Angeles marketing firm recently waited five days for a business-class ticket on a United Airlines flight from Beijing because planes were so packed.

Those crowds are spurring United Continental Holdings, Delta Air Lines and other U.S. carriers to expand flights to Asia, lured by economic growth in China that’s triple the U.S. rate and new access to an airport nearer to downtown Tokyo.

"It’s been quite difficult, particularly getting last-minute flights," said Wingsoe, 38, who makes about a half-dozen trips to Asia each year as managing partner at Entertainment Fusion Group. "There’s nothing open. Last year we could call the day of and get on, no problem."

Wingsoe’s travels make him part of a surge in Asia/Pacific air traffic. The region’s 10.4 percent increase through September from a year earlier outpaced a 6.7 percent gain in North America and more than doubled Europe’s 4.4 percent, according to the International Air Transport Association.

Read more at NJ com

China unveils fastest train in world

The Telegraph

China Motorcycle Diaries: altitude sickness at 5000m

Canadian brothers Ryan (L) and Colin Pyle, pose for a photograph during their motorcycle journey around China on the Highway G314, also known as the Karakoram Highway, near Tashkurgan in Xinjiang Uighur Autonomous Region September 13, 2010. Circumnavigating China's vast landscape on motorbikes was never going to be easy. But being stuck 4,800 metres above sea level in a remote part of central Tibet with altitude sickness and an empty gas tank was one of the last things Ryan Pyle expected to happen.

Photograph by: Handout photo, Ryan and Colin Pyle

Read more: http://www.edmontonjournal.com/health/China+Motorcycle+Diaries+altitude+sickness+5000m/3746626/story.html#ixzz13lhQM3Yz

Dali, China, is a backpacker's haven

When it comes to the environment, China is known mostly for its smoggy cities and its use of coal to power much of its rapidly growing economy. While controversial projects like the Three Gorges Dam and other alternative energy inroads have given the country hope for a green-fueled future, the present remains, for the most part, hazy.

Of course, China is a vast country, much larger than Western media coverage focused on Shanghai, Beijing and Hong Kong would suggest. In fact, a majority of the Middle Kingdom's regions are rural. Yunnan Province is home to some of these impressively natural landscapes. This mountainous, forested area in south-central China features some of the country's best scenery. Yunnan is a haven for fresh-air seekers and those who want to get away from urban China and see how both Han Chinese and the country's ethnic minorities live.

Kunming is Yunnan's capital and largest city, but the (relatively) nearby town of Dali is a true breathable-air eco-tourism destination. Dali is one of those East Asian towns that has become popular with the youthful budget-backpacker set. It is growing in popularity because it has all the natural Yunnanese traits mentioned above but has not become a mainstream destination for Westerners.

This is a positive for green-minded travelers who want to get a taste of China's natural side and who want to understand life beyond the hectic cities of the country's Eastern seaboard.

SEE GREEN

Dali's Old Town (which is actually only a small portion of a 3 million-strong metro area) is the most popular spot for foreign tourists. Dali is also a hugely popular domestic tourist destination. However, most Chinese travelers tend to choose hotels in the newer portions of the city, meaning that the crowds in the central areas of Old Town (www.asia-planet.net/china/dali.htm) dissipate as the evening approaches.

Natural sites like Cangshan (Cang Mountain) are located within eyeshot of the city. Cangshan's 12,000-foot peak and alpine slopes are ideal for trekking and scenery-seeing trips. Er Sea (Erhai, usually mistranslated as Erhai Lake), situated at nearly 6,000 feet above sea level, has long been used by the ethnic Bai people as a source of fish. Its easily accessible shores are popular with visiting trekkers. Erhai Lake Park (www.chinatravelattraction.org/yunnan-travel-attractions/dali-erhai-lake-park.html) is a pay-to-enter facility. There is a slightly touristy vibe, which is made up for by outstanding views of the lake and by an on-site arboretum.

Read more: http://www.kansascity.com/2010/10/04/2273629/dali-china-is-a-backpackers-haven.html#ixzz11OrSItpX

Enter the Dragon on Indian Roads

As the United States sits in India’s bad books for its recent moves against outsourcing, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh’s government is laying a pathway for China to invest in the country’s roads and highways projects.

AFP/Getty Images

Prime Minister Manmohan Singh’s government is laying a pathway for China to invest in the country’s roads and highways projects.

On Wednesday, India’s roads minister, Kamal Nath, on an official trip to Beijing, countered reports that the federal government has barred joint ventures for investments with China-based companies and said India was ready for Chinese investments in its massive highway expansion in all regions including the sensitive border areas of Jammu and Kashmir and the northeast.

Welcoming Chinese involvement hasn’t been the government’s stance in other areas. The Mint newspaper earlier reported that the government has forbid joint ventures with investments from China-based companies from participating in the ninth round of India’s oil and gas exploration and licensing auctions.

Read more at The Wall Street Journal

China Touts `Complete Package' for California High-Speed Rail

Arnold Schwarzenegger, governor of California, inspects the high-speed train operations at Omiya Station in Saitama, Japan. Photographer: Shuji Kajiyama/Pool via Bloomberg

 

Sept. 13 (Bloomberg) -- Bloomberg's Stephen Engle reports on California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger's week-long trade mission to Asia. Schwarzenegger defended his business trip to China, Japan and South Korea as needed to research high-speed rail options even as the state operates without a budget since the fiscal year began on July 1. California expects to start taking bids by late 2011 from companies hoping to build bullet trains connecting Los Angeles and San Francisco. (Source: Bloomberg)

China can offer a “complete package,” including financing, as it competes to build a high-speed railway in California costing more than $40 billion, according to the nation’s railway ministry.

“What other nations don’t have, we have,” He Huawu, the ministry’s chief engineer, said in a Sept. 14 interview in Beijing. “What they have, we have better.” He declined to elaborate further on how much financing may be available.

California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger this week rode on bullet trains in China, Japan and South Korea as the state seeks contractors and financing to build the planned network linking Los Angeles and San Francisco. China is competing for the high-speed line and for one in Brazil as it works to boost high-technology exports and pare its reliance on low- wage production.

Read more at Bloomberg

The China Travel BlogKeeping it real: Chatting with John McKenna about 'ultra-sports' and travel in the 'real China'

John McKenna travels the "real China"

Traveling China can be one of the most rewarding, challenging and exciting experiences many people will ever have in their lives (especially if part of it takes the form of an ultra-sport marathon across the Gobi Desert!).

It can also be one of the most daunting, not to mention frustrating and infuriating, even if you're not looking for an extreme experience but just hope to soak up some authentic local culture.

It's not so bad for backpackers who aren't tied to a schedule—frustration and the unexpected become part of the total experience, but for anyone with a schedule to keep and a finite time line, a bad China day can really put a damper on a trip—and believe me, from first-time visitors to old China hands, we all have our bad China days.

This is where someone like New Zealander John McKenna, founder of the Shanghai-based travel consultancy Travel the Real China and Ultra Sport China, comes in. He's passionate about travel and China, he's been all over, and most places he hasn't been, he's helped send others.

After seeing (and experiencing) the difficulties faced by foreigners in making travel arrangements via local agents, John realized that his wealth of experience could  help others avoid the frustration and disappointment that so often results from the mass-production approach and formulaic group tours that dominate China's tourism industry, especially for anyone looking for authenticity and off-the-beaten-path experiences, including fans of outdoor sports and adventuring—rock climbers, trekkers, mountaineers, marathoners and the like.

Read more at China Travel Net

China tourism industry booming, more mainland travellers heading to HK

HONG Kong : China's leading online travel service said the country's tourism industry is booming, and it expects a 50 per cent jump in mainland customers travelling to Hong Kong this year.

That will come as good news for the city, whose tourism industry is powered by the millions of visitors who cross the border each year.

China's top online travel service Ctrip.com and Hong Kong beauty products retailer Bonjour, have joined hands to promote tourism on the mainland and in Hong Kong.

The two firms are launching a joint VIP card with special deals for cardholders travelling around China, Hong Kong and Macau.

After a pick-up in 2009, Ctrip.com said tourism business is booming, especially with customers travelling to Hong Kong.

Tang Lan, VP of Sales & Marketing at Ctrip.com said: "Now we are the number one travel agency for mainland China travellers going to Hong Kong. And the number in 2008 was about 90,000. And 2009, it reached 150,000."

Read more at Asia Pacific News

Taking a slow boat from China

    

The Huangpu River and skyline of Shanghai.

Aboard a cargo ferry in the East China Sea, Stephen Phelan finds himself sleeping with a floating league of nations.

My father was a sailor, although none of his ships had actual sails. He operated radar and radio equipment aboard ocean-going tankers, each one the size of a small town, delivering crude oil through the Panama Canal, into the Persian Gulf, around the Cape of Good Hope. He would come home for a few months after six or more away and tell stories that gave me a fantastical impression of his workplace. On his off days, he would admit there was precious little romance left in the life of a mariner.

"A modern fleet of ships," wrote Joseph Conrad, one of several authors I later came to love for their first-hand accounts of earlier mercantile voyages, "does not so much make use of the sea as exploit a highway." This strikes me as particularly true in Shanghai harbour this morning, where traffic on the Huangpu River is so heavy that it takes us hours to reach open water

Before we began the two-day crossing to Osaka, Japan, I climbed on the deck of Su Zhou Hao, a ferry that also functions as a cargo vessel, to watch the containers being loaded. And I stay up here during our passage through the biggest and busiest port in the world. The view is spectacularly ugly. Behind us is the old city, half-destroyed by Japanese bombers in World War II, and the new, being restacked with futurist skyscrapers.

Ahead is an industrial underworld of vast dry docks, flying sparks and smokestacks, with tugboats and barges swarming around us, driving our captain to honk his horn like a short-fused motorist. The sky is low and heavy with petrochemical rain clouds.

Off to starboard, on a huge and half-built freighter suspended in mid-air between two titanic cranes, I spy a lone engineer standing under a pink umbrella. I wave to him and he waves back, which fills me with a sudden glee and fellow feeling. And a good day to you, my communist friend! Beyond all this, at last, is the East China Sea.

Read more at The Sydney Morning Herald

Chinese drive record tourism in July

A spike in the number of Chinese tourists due to relaxed visa restrictions helped push up the total number of travelers to Japan in July by 39 percent from the same month last year to a record 880,000, according to an industry body.

The number of visitors to Japan has increased on a year-on-year basis for nine consecutive months, and 5.08 million people traveled to Japan between January and July, according to a Japan National Tourism Organization report.

About 240,000 South Koreans visited in July, up 38.7 percent, followed by 170,000 from China--2.4 times more than the same month last year. A record number of visitors came from China, Hong Kong and Thailand.

The increases seem to reflect recovering economies in these countries, according to observers.

The organization has been compiling tourism statistics since 1964.

As well as flocking to Japan in record numbers, Chinese tourists tend to spend a lot while they are here, according to a Japan Tourist Agency survey of 3,787 visitors released Wednesday.

The survey showed travelers to Japan spend an average of 104,263 yen while they tour the country. However, Chinese were more willing to open their wallets and spent 136,870 yen on average, eclipsing Americans (121,767 yen) and South Koreans (77,111 yen).

This first such survey by the agency estimated that Chinese spent 50.3 billion yen and South Koreans spent 44 billion yen on shopping and dining from April to June.

Yomiyuri

China urges Philippines to rescue kidnapped Hong Kong tourists

BEIJING, Aug. 23 (Xinhua) -- China has urged the Philippines to secure the safe release of a group of Hong Kong tourists who were taken hostage by a former policeman in Manila early Monday.

"The Foreign Ministry and the Chinese embassy in the Philippines have requested the Philippines to secure the release of the hostages on condition that their lives are protected," Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Jiang Yu said.

A bus carrying 21 Hong Kong tourists and four Filipinos was hijacked in the Philippine capital Monday morning by a former Police Senior Inspector Rolando Mendoza.

Mendoza, who is demanding the authorities to be reinstated to the service, has released nine hostages and there are still 15 Chinese nationals and one Filipino in the bus.

The Chinese government had requested the Philippines strive for an early and safe rescue, Jiang said when asked to comment.

The Chinese embassy in Manila had kept close contact with related departments of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, and has sent staff to the scene, Jiang said.

xinhuanet

Japan, China, S Korea seek 26 mil tourist visits by 2015

HANGZHOU —

The tourism ministers of Japan, China and South Korea agreed Sunday to aim to have 26 million people visit each other’s countries in 2015, almost double the figure for 2009. The new target was included in a joint statement compiled at the trilateral ministerial meeting in China which noted that the three countries’ earlier goal of 17 million tourist ‘‘intervisitations’’ in 2010 is expected to be achieved. A total of 13.5 million people traveled between the three countries in 2009.
 
Japan’s Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism Minister Seiji Maehara told a press conference after signing the statement, ‘‘It is significant that the three countries set a target and confirmed what must be done to that end.’‘
   
The three ministers also decided to share information that affects tourism, including information on major natural disasters and the outbreak of infectious diseases, as part of efforts to promote tourism in East Asia, according to their statement.
   
They also agreed in the fifth trilateral tourism ministerial meeting to cooperate in developing and utilizing areas such as health care, sports, movies, animations, and food and beverages as resources for tourism.
   
Maehara, Chinese National Tourism Administration Chairman Shao Qiwei and South Korean Culture, Sports and Tourism Minister Yu In Chon are in the Hangzhou area in Zhejiang Province for a series of related meetings from Saturday to Monday.

Japan Today

Italy to China in driverless vehicles

PARMA, Italy | It's a modern-day version of Marco Polo's journey halfway around the world — but is anyone at the controls?

A team of Italian engineers last week launched what has been billed as the longest-ever test drive of driverless vehicles: an 8,000-mile, three-month road trip from Italy to China, not in search of silk, but to test the limits of future automotive technology.

Two bright orange vehicles, equipped with laser scanners and cameras that work in concert to detect and help avoid obstacles, are to brave the traffic of Moscow, the summer heat of Siberia and the bitter cold of the Gobi desert before the planned arrival in Shanghai at the end of October.

"What we are trying to do is stress our systems and see if they can work in a real environment, with real weather, real traffic and crazy people who cross the road in front of you and a vehicle that cuts you off," said project leader Alberto Broggi.

The road trip consists of two pairs of vehicles, each with a driven lead van followed by a driverless vehicle occupied by two technicians, whose job is to fix glitches and take over the wheel in case of an emergency.

The driverless vehicle takes cues from the lead van, but will have to respond to any ordinary obstacles or dangers. The two pairs alternate stretches along the route to China.

"We will definitely need some help by humans. It is not possible to have 100 percent driverless. This is why I call it a test, not a demonstration," Mr. Broggi said.

Governments have yet to write rules of the road for driverless vehicles, so the team has obtained prior permission from all countries along the route to carry out the experiment. To protect themselves from liability, they are placing one of the technicians in the driver's seat, ready to assume the controls or slam a red shutdown button if necessary.

The technology developed by Vislab, an artificial vision and intelligent systems lab at the University of Parma run by Mr. Broggi, might one day allow driverless vehicles to transport goods across Europe.

Analysts say such technology is feasible in the foreseeable future, but some question its utility.

Read more at the Washington Times

Price war looms as carriers cut fares for China-Taiwan flights

HONG KONG : A price war could be brewing among airlines flying between China and Taiwan.

Authorities on the mainland are planning to cut airfares between the two destinations by as much as 15 per cent.

And analysts said this could lead to airlines flying cross-strait routes rushing to lower their fares.

Before the launch of direct flights between China and Taiwan, the cross-strait route was lucrative business for Hong Kong carrier Cathay Pacific.

With the latest price cuts, Cathay may be one one facing the most turbulence.

Earlier this month, three Taiwan-based carriers - China Airlines, Eva Airways and TransAsia - agreed to cut fares by between 10 per cent and 30 per cent next month.

A typical one-way ticket between Beijing and Taipei costs US$176, and US$512 for a return ticket.

"In the short term, there may be some price cuts, pressure on profit margins especially on Cathay Pacific. For the short-term, China Eastern Airlines may benefit because there's more travellers between Taiwan and China using China Eastern," said Kenny Tang, head of Research at Redford Asset Management.

However, lower margins could be offset by an increase in passenger volume and traffic.

Meanwhile, Cathay Pacific is busy putting new revenue streams on its radar.

"It's much more focused on mainland routes especially co-operations and change in shareholdings structure with Air China, so I think the domestic business on mainland will be the profit driver for Cathay Pacific," said Tang.

Cross-strait traffic is set to climb higher, as China and Taiwan put the finishing touches to their free-trade pact.

A record 5.4 million people travelled between China and Taiwan last year.

40 more flights are being added to the already schedule of 380 a week - and that's not including charter flights.

Four new airports are also planned on the mainland along the Western coastal area of Haixi. - CNA /ls

Cross-strait trips will cost lot less

Beijing plans to cut air fares between the mainland and Taiwan by as much as 15 percent to boost cross-strait ties.

Analysts say such a move might trigger a price war among carriers - including Cathay Pacific (0293) - that serve the region.

Li Jiaxiang, director general of the General Administration of Civil Aviation, told a Xiamen conference yesterday that the price cut could be in the range of 10-15 percent, Taiwan's Central News Agency reported.

A final decision is to be reached after further talks with carriers, and Li did not offer thoughts on when lower fares could take effect.

China Eastern Airlines (0670) and Cathay Pacific stand to be the carriers affected most by a price cut, experts say.

And cross-strait travelers could decide to cancel any plans to fly via Hong Kong if direct fares are reduced.

"CEA and Cathay operate many international routes, so the impact on those two is likely to be greater than China Southern Airlines [1055], which focuses on domestic flights," said Kenny Tang Sing-hing, head of research at Redford Securities.

Tang noted that cheaper fares could lead to lower earnings for the two carriers, "but this can be offset by an increase in passengers and flights." On that, he pointed to the possibility of a price war as airlines chase passengers.

The head of equity markets at Delta Asia Financial, Conita Hung Lai-ping, said lower fares will be positive and boost the number of cross-strait tourists.

"The cross-strait economic relation will also be strengthened as a result," she added.

Beijing plans four new airports along the western coastal area of the Taiwan Strait - called Haixi - over the next five years to accommodate more flights across the strait.

That Beijing intended to increase the number of flights was among the points Li raised in Xiamen.

Beijing and Taipei have already signed a deal for a 10.5 increase in the number of flights, taking the number to 420 a week from the present 380.

The Standard

China invests in rail

BEIJING - CHINA will invest 700 billion yuan (S$145 billion) in high speed rail construction in 2010 as part of the nation's ambitious plan to revitalise its railways, state media said on Sunday.

By the end of the year, China should have over 11,000 kilometres (6,800 miles) of high speed track in operation, up from just over 6,500 kilometres, He Huawu, the railway ministry's chief engineer told Xinhua news agency.

The existing high-speed line between Beijing and the eastern port city of Tianjin, which reaches a speed of 350 kilometres an hour (217 miles an hour), serves as the standard for the nation's high speed system, Mr He said. He was speaking at an international seminar on railway construction and urban development in China's far north-eastern city of Harbin, the report said.

High speed lines currently under construction include the Harbin-Beijing line and a north-south line linking Harbin and Fujian province on China's south-east coast, he said.

As part of its efforts to spur economic growth amid the global downturn, China announced last year it planned to build 42 high-speed railway lines by 2012 in a massive system overhaul, state media reported earlier. Earlier this year, the railway ministry announced the high-speed line linking Beijing and Shanghai will open in 2011, a year ahead of schedule, cutting travel time from 10 hours to four, state press said.

Beijing has an ambitious rail development programme aimed at increasing the national network from the current 86,000 kilometres to 120,000 kilometres by 2020. The expanded network will include 50,000 kilometres of high-speed rail. -- AFP

The Straits Times

A snapshot of China’s cultural legacy

China is undoubtedly a mystical mixture of ancient and modern flare. Our recent trip to this great place did not let me down as I was excited about it.

Beijing today is quite different from my first visit six years ago. But some things have never changed like my favorite restaurant, Made in China, which offers the best Peking duck roasted in the traditional charcoal oven amidst the most modern five-star hotels.

On our first day, we visited the Bird’s Nest stadium and Water Cube, two edifices that stood out during the 2008 Olympics. The International Olympic Committee once said in a statement: “None has come close to and very few will surpass this construction and presentation.” I also coined this 91,000-seater stadium as “an engineering marvel of a well-controlled chaotic regularity” – intricately structured into an architectural wonder of the century.

In the evening, we watched a Chinese folklore show presented in Las Vegas style costumes. The choreography depicted a five-year-old child who was brought by his mother to join the Shaolin monastery. He was psyched up physically, mentally, and physiologically on how to be humble and religious before he could face the world with pride and confidence. Kung fu characters were exhibited at their best as I changed my wide-angle lens to telephoto. I captured some meaningful shots that gave me a new world of enthusiasm in “stage performance” photography.

Read more at mb.com.ph

China tops France as tourism spender

China overtook France to occupy the fourth place last year in the ranking of the world's top international tourism spenders, the United Nations World Tourism Organisation said on Wednesday.

Chinese tourists splurged $US43.7 billion ($A47.74 billion) on their travels abroad in 2009 despite the economic downturn, propping up other economies by eating out, occupying hotel rooms and visiting attractions, it said in its latest bulletin.

That compares to $US36.2 million ($A39.55 million) in the previous year when China was the world's fifth biggest source of tourism spending.

Read more at The Sydney Morning Herald

Weekly hotels top five of five - China

The 2010 World Expo begins in China this week, with 70 million visitors expected to come to Shanghai for the exhibition in the next six months.

China established its ability to stage impressive events in Beijing for the 2008 Olympic Games, and the scale of Shanghai's transformation is equally breathtaking.

The city has been transformed, with billions of dollars being poured into creating new city areas, revamping classic tourist spots such as the Bund, building new ports, metro systems, rail links and roads, and constructing new hotels to host the expected throngs.

The city has been transformed, with billions of dollars being poured into creating new city areas, revamping classic tourist spots such as the Bund, building new ports, metro systems, rail links and roads, and constructing new hotels to host the expected throngs.

Read more at The Independent

Teahouse and truths about life

Visitors relax at the Fuquan Teahouse and terrace on the grounds of Yongfu Monastery. (Photo: Shanghai Daily)

BEIJING, April 27 -- A piece of fallen wood is not dead. "String" it, and its life springs back in the form of music. I had heard the Buddhist expression ku mu feng chun (spring breezes life back into withered wood) in archaic Chinese literature, but never before had I understood melodies from a fallen piece of wood with strings as a living thing.

I gained this enlightening perception of life in a trip last month to a Buddhist monastery in the wooded hills in Hangzhou, a bucolic city just about an hour from Shanghai by bullet train.

My wife and I were taking a leisurely walk and appreciating the scenery, as we often do in Hangzhou, when we chanced upon a lecture on guqin music and Buddhism in the Pathaka Hall of Yongfu Monastery.

It was almost dusk when we found ourselves in this graceful Buddhist music hall, where master Nian Shun happened to be playing guqin, a seven-stringed traditional instrument. The performance was part of a lecture to visiting scholars of Buddhism from Shanghai.

Read more at XINHUA

Xiangcheng

Xiangcheng (乡城; Xiāng chéng – Tibetan: Chaktreng), is in Sichuan Province in south-west China. It also belongs to the ancient Tibetan province of Kham. Being a necessary overnight-stop on the ‘Backdoor’-route to Yunnan, the town is a pleasant place to linger or to serve as starting point for excursions into the surrounding mountain areas. Coming over the mountain passes from either direction, you will at once spot the beautiful villages scattered amongst wheat-field-paddies in the valley ground. The large, cubicle houses look like little castles and with their white-chalked exterior walls give the whole valley a north-african air. Xiangcheng itself consists of an old village paired with a modern Chinese downtown.

CCTTours

The trouble with getting takeoff and landing slots in China

It's easy to beat up on American Airlines for its decision to delay its Chicago-Beijing service on the day it was to be launched.

But several have pointed us to a South China Morning Post article in which the Hong Kong newspaper says top Chinese aviation officials "have been accused of illegally selling sought-after landing slots to the country's major carriers."

Other U.S. airlines currently flying to Beijing have favorable times, along the lines of what American expected to receive. Looking at their experience, American expected similar treatment.

United Airlines flights arrives from Chicago at 2:40 p.m., from San Francisco at 3:15 p.m. and from Washington at 2:20 p.m. Continental Airlines' flight from Newark arrives at 1:50 p.m. So American had reason to expect it would get better times that the middle of the night.

Read more at The Dallas Morning News