Smell China

Chung Yeung Festival or called The Double Ninth Festival is one of Chinese custom festivals. It is in the ninth day of the ninth lunar month of Chinese traditional calendar, Chung Yeung Festival always in October or November..Chung Yeung Festival has been formed as early as in Warring States period and being officially designated as folk festivals in Tang Dynasty until now.

Chung Yeung Festival has several custom activities to people. Firstly is to climb mountains or hills. In that day, it always happens in late autumn, and the weather is always windy and comfort, when people climb up to the top of mountains, people will feel relax, happy and keep healthy. Secondly is enjoying chrysanthemum. It is a day that the chrysanthemums bloom luxuriantly. Since Wei Dynasty and Jin Dynasty, holding parties enjoying chrysanthemums and drinking becomes fashionable. Thirdly the double nine has the same pronunciation of long or long live, so people also consider this day as the symbol of longevity for the old people, and because of this, Chung Yeung Festival is also known as “ Festival for the Eldery”.

In 1980’s, in some place of China, people promote Chung Yeung Festival as a day for respecting, care and love elderly people. China attaches great importance to the intangible cultural heritage protection, in May 20, 2006, approved by the State Council, Chung Yeung Festival was inscribed on the National Heritage List.

The Mid-Autumn Festival, also known as the Moon Festival, or in Chinese, Zhongqiu Jie , is a popular harvest festival celebrated by Chinese people and Vietnamese people (even though they celebrate it differently), dating back over 3,000 years to moon worship in China’s Shang Dynasty. It was first called Zhongqiu Jie (literally “Mid-Autumn Festival”) in the Zhou Dynasty. In Malaysia and Singapore, it is also sometimes referred to as the Lantern Festival or Mooncake Festival.

The Mid-Autumn Festival is held on the 15th day of the eighth month in the Chinese calendar, which is usually around mid or late September in the Gregorian calendar. It is a date that parallels the autumn and spring Equinoxes of the solar calendar, when the moon is supposedly at its fullest and roundest. The traditional food of this festival is the mooncake, of which there are many different varieties.

The Mid-Autumn Festival is one of the two most important holidays in the Chinese calendar, the other being the Chinese New Year, and is a legal holiday in several countries. Farmers celebrate the end of the summer harvesting season on this date. Traditionally, on this day, Chinese family members and friends will gather to admire the bright mid-autumn harvest moon, and eat moon cakes and pomeloes together. Accompanying the celebration, there are additional cultural or regional customs, such as:

* Eating moon cakes outside under the moon
* Putting pomelo rinds on one’s head
* Carrying brightly lit lanterns, lighting lanterns on towers, floating sky lanterns
* Burning incense in reverence to deities including Chang’e
* Planting Mid-Autumn trees
* Collecting dandelion leaves and distributing them evenly among family members
* Fire Dragon Dances

Shops selling mooncakes, before the festival, often display pictures of Chang’e floating to the moon.

The Penglai Pavilion, which is built in 1061, is a famous coastal tourist site in eastern China’s Shandong Province. It is seated on the cliff of Danya Mountain in the north of Penglai City.

The Penglai Pavilion is listed as one of the four famous pavilions in China, together with the Yellow Crane Tower, Yueyang Tower and Tengwang Pavilion. It is seated on the north, facing the south, with symmetrically built side rooms and wing rooms in front of both east and west sides. Wing rooms perform the role of halls, with hallways linking side rooms and stone stairs running up the Pavilion. Its ground floor measures 14.8 meters in length, and 9.65 meters in width, with winding corridors and 16 columns surrounding all sides. Hung on the front door is a huge horizontal tablet inscribed with three Chinese characters: Peng Lai Ge (Peng Lai Pavilion), written by famous calligrapher Tie Bao of the Qing Dynasty (1644-1911).

In front of the wing rooms’ north gable wall are three monuments, built during the reigns of Emperor Jiaqing, Daoguang and Guangxu respectively after each renovation or construction of attached buildings. To the west of west-wing room, a 2.3-meter-tall tablet is erected facing the east. Engraved on the tablet is Daoguang’s Notes on Repairing Penglai Pavilion in Dengxhou, written with full power and grandeur. Inside the west-wing room, ten tablets are embedded into the west wall, with four Chinese characters on each, describing the Ten Scenes of Penglai: Sunrise on the Sea, Evening Tide under the New Moon, Countless Jade Fragments, Ten Thousand Miles of Clear Water, Pavilion in the Air, Snow Covered Peak, Mist and Clouds, Fishing and Singing on the Yuliang, Shining Waves in Well and Rain Drops from Heaven. Another ten tablets of past dynasties are in the west side room, all of which have great historiography and calligraphy values.

The second floor of the Penglai Pavilion is 13.5 meters in length and 8.55 meters in width, surrounded by winding corridors, wooden fencing guardrails and 16 columns. With wooden folding screen in the north, east and west, windows are opened in the north wall for visitors to look over the sea. On this floor, the door opens to the south. Hung above the outer side of the door is a board carved with Bi Hai Chun Rong (Blue Sea, Warm Spring), and the inner side is a board carved with Shen Zhou Sheng Jing (Scenic Spot on the Divine Land). Tie Bao’s powerful handwriting Penglai Ge (Penglai Pavilion) is just hung on the center of north wall, along with Dong Biwu’s inscription and Ye Jianying’s couplets. The wooden roof beams are painted with colored drawings like Penglai Ten Scenes, Eight Immortals and Bamboos. With sculptures of eight drunken immortals placed in the center and an old-fashioned square table and chairs placed around, the arrangement of the room is just as what was described in the famous legend of “Eight Immortals Crossing the Sea”. It is said that the eight immortals (Lu Dongbin, Tie Guaili, Zhang Guolao, Han Zhongli, Cao Guojiu, He Xiangu, Lan Caihe, and Han Xiangzi) got drunk at the Penglai Pavilion and crossed the sea by different tricks of their own without ships or boats.

The Penglai Pavilion is the best place to view two of the Ten Scenes of Penglai — Pavilion in the Air and Fishing and Singing on Yuliang. The Pavilion high up in the air casts its invert reflection in the blue sea, with mist wrapping up the mountainside ring upon ring. It is just like a fantastic mirage written in water. Standing in the Pavilion with mist and clouds floating beneath, visitors will feel like immortals hovering over the waves against wind. Under the Pavilion, reefs rising above the sea surface are called Yuliang. Sometimes you can find old men, in groups of three or five, fishing on the reefs, happy and pleased with themselves.

The Tengwang Pavilion is at the south side of Yanjiang Bei Road and Dieshan Road. In the ancient times it was o­ne of the four famous towers in China (the other three are Yellow Crown Tower in Wuhan, Yueyang Pavilion in Yueyang and Penglaige Tower in Yantai).

In Chinese, the Pavilion is called Teng Wang Ge. The tower has nine stories— three that can be seen from the naked eyes, four hidden inside and two below the ground. Li Yuan Ying , the brother of Taizong who assumed the name Teng Wang upon being knighted ,commissioned the original three stories, thirty meters high building in 654 during the Tang Dynasty(618—907). The pavilion was named after him, but it was to undergo the reconstruction as a consequence of events during its 1,300 year long history. However, the worst tragedy occurred in 1926, when it was destroyed by fire during the conflicts between the Northern Warlords. The current building is the result of rebuilding that was carried out between 1983 and 1989.

The tower is located on the eastern side of the Gan River and the style of architecture used is from the Song Dynasty. The existing pavilion is even more spectacular and magnificent than its predecessors. Reached by Nine-zigzag Bridge and surrounded by rock gardens and lakes, it’s in fact a complex and not just a single structure as it is mentioned. The principle building covers 47,000 square meters (about 12 acres). Two smaller pavilions stand on the north and south sides of the main building. Their elegance and simplicity is set off by glazed jade-green tiles on the roof, pretty eaves and red pillars. Engrave screens enhance the interiors

Tengwang Pavilion was always a place where learned men gathered to write articles and hold banquets, therefore the display in the new pavilion gives prominence to culture. A variety of bass-relief and frescoes demonstrate that men of talent have brought glory to this place. The steles and couplets on the columns of the hall are all selections of celebrities. Musical instruments, bronze sacrifice, ritual article, serial bells impart a classical elegance to this new pavilion.

The reason why the tower is so famous is that one of Wang Bo’s poem is included— Teng Wang Ge Xu. The poet accompanied his father to the tower one night and he recorded the event through poetry. His poem described the night in an emotional way that made the poem stick into the minds of many Chinese. One year later after writing this poem, he died. The popularity of the poet lasted today with Chairman Mao having opened quoted him and with the lines of his poem written on the pillars of the tower’s front gate

As the symbol of Nanchang, Teng Wang pavilion is a scenic spot that you can’t miss.

Yueyang Tower stands on the shore of Dongting Lake in Yueyang City of Hunan Province. Since ancient times, Yueyang Tower has been enjoying the title of “the best tower on this planet”, having equal status with “the best lake on earth”- Dongting Lake.

Originally, Yueyang Tower was mainly for military use. The construction of the tower was commissioned by General Lu Su of the Kingdom of Wu during the Three Kingdoms Period. It was designed as a tower for training, directing marine troops and for military reviews.

Since the Tang Dynasty, Yueyang Tower had gradually become a popular tourist destination as well as a favored site for romantic scholars, who would frequent the place for chanting and writing poems. The widely-read article On Yueyang Tower by the great writer of the Northern Song Dynasty Fan Zhongyan brought great fame to Yueyang Tower, making it a well-known scenic spot in South China.

No rivets or nails were used in the construction of Yueyang Tower, which is a complete wood structure, simple and unique. In the middle of the tower, four nanmu pillars run all the way to the roof, with twelve round-timber pillars propping up the second storey and another twelve Chinese catalpa wood pillars supporting the upturned eaves, thus ingeniously forming a whole. The pinnacle of the tower is like a helmet worn by an ancient general. The structure of the tower is unique in the architectural history of ancient China, holding unparalleled artistic values.

Standing on the bank of Dongting Lake, Yueyang Tower is magnificent and imposing, overlooking the 800-li-Dongting Lake scattered with sailing boats. The picturesque scenery attracted great poets of the Tang Dynasty like Li Bai, Du Fu, Bai Juyi and Li Shangyin etc, who wrote numerous poems after visiting Yueyang Tower. Many of the poems have been widely read throughout the ages.

Twelve red sandal wood tablets inscribed with the calligraphy work of On Yueyang Tower by calligrapher Zhang Zhao of the Qing Dynasty are hanging on the main wall of the tower hall. All four walls are occupied by couplets written by celebrated masters. Around Yueyang Tower, there stand Erchun (meaning “intoxicating”) Pavilion and Xianmei (meaning “divine plum”) Pavilion, both of which are related to folk legends.

Yueyang Tower has been renovated and reconstructed for many times. The present one was rebuilt in 1984 after the style of the tower built in the sixth year of Emperor Guangxu’s reign (1880 AD) in the Qing Dynasty. It is the only classical building of all the three famous towers in the south of the Yangtze River that retains the original style. In 2001, Yueyang Tower was listed in the first batch of the country’s 3A-level scenic areas.

Yellow Crane Tower, located on Snake Hill in Wuchang, is one of the “Three Famous Towers South of Yangtze River (the other two: Yueyang Tower in Hunan and Tengwang Tower in Jiangxi).

Legend has it that in Wuchang, there used to be a wine shop opened by a young man named Xin. One day, a Taoist priest, in gratitude for free wine, drew a magic crane on the wall of the shop and instructed it to dance whenever it heard clapping. Thousands of people came to see the spectacle and the wine shop was always full of guests. After 10 years, the Taoist priest revisited the wine shop. He played the flute and then rode on the crane to the sky. In memory of the supernatural encounter and the priest, the Xins built a tower and named it Yellow Crane Tower.

According to records, the tower was first built in 223 A.D during the Three Kingdoms period (220-280). After completion, the tower served as a gathering place for celebrities and poets to party and compose poetry. It was estimated that up to the Tongzhi Reign of the Qing dynasty, as many as 300 poems about the tower had been found in historical literature. Cui Hao, a famous poet during the Tang dynasty (618-907), made the tower well known throughout China with his poem “Yellow Crane Tower”.

Destroyed many times in successive dynasties, the tower was rebuilt time and again until 100 years ago when it was, for the last time, reduced to ashes. The present tower is a complete reconstruction and is the result of four years of work beginning in 1981. Where the old tower was only 15 meters wide, the ground floor of the new structure was increased to 20 meters wide. The tower, 51.4 meters high, is five-storied with yellow tiles and red pillars, overlapping ridges and interlocking eaves, more magnificent than the old one.

The new Yellow Crane Tower is regarded as the symbol of Wuhan city.

The White Deer Grotto Academy was located at the foot of Wulou Peak in Lushan, now in Jiujiang, Jiangxi province. It was one of the Four Great Academies of China.

The academy had its beginnings as a place for the pursuit of learning by the Tang Dynasty poet Li Bo when he was living in retirement. As Li Bo kept a white deer, he was known as the White Deer Teacher and the school premises themselves as the White Deer Grotto. Between the years 937—942, when the area was under the control of the Southern Tang, a school was officially established here under the name “Lushan Guoxue” or “Lu-san Goet-hok”.

In the early years of the Northern Song dynasty, which began in 960, the Lushan Guoxue was transformed into an academy, known as the White Deer Grotto Academy. The academy was the recipient of imperial favour from the Emperor Taizong (r. 976-997), who bestowed on it books and awarded official rank to the academy’s head. However, it later fell into disrepair.

In 1179-80, during the Southern Song dynasty, the academy was rebuilt and expanded by Zhu Xi, later to become the most preeminent of the neo-Confucianists. Zhu Xi, who was serving as prefect of Nankang Prefecture (now Nankang City), rebuilt the academy based on the layout of the Temple of Confucius at Qufu. The new academy opened its doors to students and scholars in 1180. It was involved in instruction, the collection and preservation of books, religious sacrifices, the development of curricula, and lectures by famous scholars, including such notable names as Lu Jiuyuan, Lü Zuqian, and later Wang Yangming. The academy continued to flourish for eight centuries. The rules of the Academy as set down by Zhu Xi had a profound and lasting influence on the subsequent development of Confucianism.

Just outside of the Dengfeng Township on the Songshan Mountains is the Songyang Academy, which was established during the Northern Wei Dynasty, and was one of the foremost schools of Classical Learning in Imperial China, sending its graduates into many positions in the Chinese Civil Service. There is a 3000-year old cypress tree in the Academy’s courtyard, which is believed to be the oldest in China. It also has a display of stone carvings, and exhibitions of calligraphy. Opening hrs: 8:00 am – 6:30 pm (Spring and Summer); 8:00 am – 6:00 pm (Autumn and Winter)

Yuelu Academy is one of the four famous academies in China, and it was established by Zhudong, magistrate of Tanzhou prefecture in 976A.D at the time of Northern Song Dynasty. The academy accepted disciples throughout the Song, Yuan, Ming and Qing Dynasties. It was only in 1903 that the academy was transformed from a school of traditional Confucian learning to an institute of higher learning and in 1926 it was officially named Hunan University. Early in 1015, Emperor Zhen Zong of the Song Dynasty awarded the academy hid Majesty’s own handwriting Yuelu Academy on a tablet. Form then on many famous scholars and great thinkers gave lectures here, among them were Zhangshi, Zhuxi and WangYangming, thus making a great impact on the province’s culture and education. Most of the existing buildings here were constructions of the Ming and Qing Dynasties, and the bulk of the engraved stone plates and inscribed tablets have all been kept intact, In 1956 the academy was listed as a historical site at the provincial level and later, in 1988 it became a historical site at the state level. The last restoration project started in 1981 and the major part was completed in 1987. Now, here we are at the He Xi Platform, He Xi means the the splendour of the sunrise, It was named by Zhuxi, a great idealist philosopher of the Confucian school during the Song Dynasty, The platform was first built on the top of Yuelu hill, by Zhanshi, and later in 1528, a pavilion was built on it, But it became deserted with the passing time. In 1790 Luodian, the master of the academy, built a platform at the present site, In 1820, the succeeding master, Ouyang Houjun, renamed it He Xi Platform in order to memory Zhuxi and Zhanshi. It was restored in 1868. On the inner walls of the platform are two big Chinese characters Fu and Shuo, which mean blessing and longevity respectively. Legend has it that the Character Shuo was written with a broom soaked in yellow mud by a Taoist master at the time Master Luodian was attending a banquet in honour of the examination officials and those dispels who had passed the civil exam Hence it has been regarded as having celestial touch The character Fu was written by Luodian, the master himself. This gate in front of us is the Main Gate, the gate was formerly built at the time of the Song Dynasty, and was then called Central Gate. The main gate underwent both destruction and reconstruction in the course of time. The present structure was once thoroughly renovated in 1868. The characters Yuelu Academy on the horizontal tablet were inscribed by Emperor Zhen Zong of the Song Dynasty. It was presented as an award to Zhoushi, the master of the academy, when he was summoned to the emperor’s presence. On both door posts are couplets which read The kingdom of Chu, unique home of the talents, The Academy of Yuelu, the very cradle of all . It was composed in the Qing Dynasty by the master of the academy, Yuan Jiangang and his disciple Zhang Renjie. This gate was the Second Gate, It was first built in 1527 during the Ming Dynasty. It underwent repairs and restoration many times .It was completely devastated during the Anti-Japanese War .In 1984, the gate was restored to its former state. This is the Lecture Hall, where the students had lessons here, it was first built at the time of the Song Dynasty and was once named Jing Yi Hall. Now, it has a more elaborate name The Hall of the Loyalty, Liability, Honesty and Integrity, because on the inner walls of the hall are engraved four big Chinese Characters: loyalty, Liability, honesty and integrity. They were handwriting by the great scholar, Zhuxi, who once lectured here. Others, such as the School Regulations, the Administrations and Way to Read were masterpieces of the masters of the academy. On the two horizontal tablets hanging on top were written: Learn before you can probe the infiniteness of the universe. The doctrines taught here in the south are genuine Confucian doctrines. They were inscribed by the emperor Kangxi and Qianlong respectively during the Qing Dynasty. The building in front of us is the Yushu Library, yushu literally means imperial books, so Yushu Library, built in 999A.D in the early Song Dynasty, was a place to keep imperial books. Books were continuously sent here during the succeeding dynasties. The library was first named Classics Treasuring House in the Song Dynasty, Classic Venerating House in the Yuan and Ming Dynasties, and finally Yushu Library in the Qing Dynasty. It had been repaired and expanded many times, and now it has a collection of over twenty thousand Chinese classics. This building was rebuilt on its original site in 1986. The two small pavilions Xi Quan and Ni Lan, built during the Song and Ming Dynasties, were restored to the right and left of the compound galleries in order to display cultural relics.