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Post by chefying on Jan 17, 2015 16:49:33 GMT
I visited the Xi'An museum, and I took this picture. I did not realise Xian is not exactly as we know it today. During the Sui and the Tang dynasties, it was much bigger. And the Han dynasty Xian was actually North West of the present day Xian, and much smaller.
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Post by chefying on Mar 8, 2015 15:28:00 GMT
Xi'an was the capital of the Tang Dynasty (among others) and during the Tang Dynasty, a monk went to India to collect some Buddhist Sutras and brought them back to China. His name was Xuan Zeng 玄奘 and his travels became the basis of the novel Xi You Ji - 西遊記 - Journey To The West. Upon his return, Monk Xuan Zeng translated the sutras in the Da Yan Ta - 大雁塔 - Big Goose Pagoda Temple. This was my photo of the Da Yan Ta in my trip to Xi'an in Nov 2014. Da Yan Ta, Nov 2015 In a previous trip, the same temple looked like this Da Yan Ta Oct 2004 Much had changed in the intervening 11 years - the front of the temple had been tided up and is now a popular meeting place. It was rather muddy last time. The surrounding areas had been done up as well, and there is a musical fountain behind the temple. It has free shows at night.
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Post by chefying on Mar 8, 2015 15:30:14 GMT
Naturally, it has the obligatory statue of Monk Xuan Zang. And the blurb on him....
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Post by chefying on May 21, 2015 15:51:17 GMT
Wide though the streets of Xi'an may be, there was still a bit of a traffic jam. This picture was taken facing north towards the railway station. If you think the photo looks not quite sharp, you are right, it was caused by the pollution in Xi'an. Interestingly shots taken at night seem to bypass the negative effects of pollution. This picture was taken near the Book/Arts street in Xi'an. Meanwhile, this is the famous Bell Tower. Again, taking night pictures seem to eliminate the effects of pollution. I don't know if I mentioned this before, but when I was in Xi'an, I had a bad reaction to the air on the second day, so much so that I was coughing and had a sore throat to boot. Then, when I went up Huashan, I was fine. Two days after my descent and back in Xi'an, the coughing started again. So, those with/prone to respiratory problems, please take the necessary precautions.
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Post by yenchin on May 21, 2015 17:50:54 GMT
China never ceases to amaze me with the hybrid of modernization and the Old China history, as well as all the near past stuff that's in between which is a bit old and shabby for most modern cities but still hanging around the place. It gives that kind of feeling that makes you always wonder how it was really like back when the place was ran by Evil Communists(TM).
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