Shaanxi is a region packed with history and culture. In fact, in Xi’an and the surrounding region sometimes even the ground seems to be overflowing with it. Tombs, most notably of the Qin and Ming, dot the countryside while the sheer amount of artifacts under Xi’an has raised concerns about building a subway system.

Outside the world of ancient relics lies another underground treasure: the Yaodong (窰洞). A type of dwelling little known outside of China, they are particularly common in Shaanxi due to the number of loess hills in the region and a natural lack of other building materials.

Yaodongs also hold a special place in Chinese history: when the Long March concluded in Yan’an, in northern Shaanxi. Here, Mao and his other compatriots built and lived in Yaodongs due to their simplicity during the well-known Yan’an period.

However the Yaodong, much like the hutong, seems to be on its way out in today’s China. Younger people are trending towards more technologically-based life in cities and apartments, and the Yaodong is used less and less.

The front door, where we will be greeted by the inhabitants

WildChina offers an opportunity on our Xi’an tours to experience a piece of this history by visiting a Yaodong. While the Yan’an complex has much been converted into hotels, there is still an opportunity to experience the authentic Yaodong about 30km outside of Xi’an.

In a small 4-cave complex, largely forgotten by time, live an octogenarian couple. Their four children have all moved to growing towns, and the eldest lives 700km away. Man and wife are both veterans of the revolutionary era, one fighting in the Korean War while the other struggled to maintain their rural existence. When visitors come to their cave, they welcome them as substitutes for absent family, excitedly providing generous hospitality and laying open their fascinating lives for all to hear.

On a tour of the Yaodong, we are shown to the storage area.

WildChina is pleased ask you to join us at this home soon, a unique experience to add to any trip to Xi’an and just one more way to Experience China Differently.

WildChina’s guides and local partners across China are an experienced group of travel professionals. Their wealth of experience, humor, and knowledge can be easily discerned from dealing with them in person, and WildChina feels that we could bring some of this to the blog.

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Gerard Shi is a Xi’an native handling tours in and around the city. Speaking with him recently, WildChina was amused and heartened by his stories. He has seen the development in Chinese tourism, and by proxy the economy over the course of his life. He began with a story from his youth: “When I was small, anyone could visit things inside the city wall.” Specifically a garden filled with 1000 year-old stone tablets was accessible to everyone, and kids would play hide and seek there. “We would play and there and nobody came and said ‘ok, you need to buy a ticket,’ but now we don’t have that freedom.” Now, he remarked, both tickets and good behavior are required.

Gerard Shi, a WildChina Local Partner

Increasing Chinese prosperity has been both allowed and shaped by these changes. Gerard remembers being sent to market by his mother for meat and instructed “一定要肥的” (I want the fatty kind) because fatty meat also cheaply provided the cooking oil his family needed. Now he posits that the Chinese are more prosperous in general, and are “no longer starving.” On occasion, he likes to emphasize this with his tours, responding to any comments on slow service at restaurants with “I arranged this especially for you, I wanted you to have the special experience of being a starving child in China,” implying slow service is tantamount to starvation in earlier times.

Gerard leading an exclusive tour of the Terracotta Warriors in Xi'an

He also narrated an excerpt from one of his trips that gave an interesting perspective on the travel industry and its growth in China. One summer, he led a New York dentist and his family through the city. He took them to see a few sights around town and after a few days, said goodbye to them as they embarked on the next part of their tour. As he took on another group, he noticed a similar pattern: another New York family, and the father was also a dentist. Asking out of curiosity whether they knew his last guest, he found that they were friends and arranged for them to meet when their itineraries came next to each other in Guilin.

Quoting the Chinese maxim “to meet an old friend in a distant land is like the delight of rain after a drought,” Gerard asserted that people may only come to China once, and he will do all he can to show them the best sides of the old and new China. “Seeing is believing”, he says, and his job is only done when they have seen China in the most enjoyable way possible, with an opportunity to Experience China Differently.

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To learn more about our journeys to Xi’an, please visit our website or e-mail us at info@wildchina.com.

Photos by Gerard Shi

Prior to arriving here in China, I didn’t know much about China’s natural wonders beyond pandas. For me, China was an ancient civilisation with numerous cultural treasures, but also one with over a billion people undergoing a rapid modernisation process.  Forming part of this has been an increase in the number of Chinese affording to travel and take holidays.

Given this, the question that I was interested in, and part of the reason for me coming to China, was how this history and recent development has impacted on China’s flora and fauna.  More importantly, though, is what this means for China’s natural areas going forward and whether there is room for conservation among so many people and their new-found modern lifestyles.

Changqing National Nature Reserve in Shaanxi Province is probably a good example on how conservation, development and tourism are becoming interconnected within 21^st century China.  Tourists have been visiting Changqing since its establishment in 1995, although they were generally few in number, consisting mainly of forestry or conservation industry professionals.  While a lack of knowledge of Changqing as a tourist destination was a likely reason for this, accessibility was a major deterrent given its location high up in the Qinling Mountains.  As a Chinese saying highlights, ‘the road to Sichuan is harder than the road to heaven’.

However, China’s recent growth has resulted in a massive infrastructure building program which is removing such obstacles.  This is improving mobility for both tourists and villagers alike, opening up some of China’s wild places for tourism and development.  In relation to Changqing, a new expressway linking the nearby city of Yangxian to Xi’an opened in 2007, reducing the travel time from over 7 hours to only 3 hours.  In addition, the road from Yangxian to Huayang (the nearest village to Changqing) was also upgraded in 2008, enabling the trip to be undertaken in a little over 2 hours.

While fewer than 1,000 people visited Changqing annually up to 2007, these recent developments have assisted in seeing visitor numbers increase to over 3500, and it is predicted to grow substantially over the next 5-10 years.  The growth in the tourism market is seeing development take-off in the formerly isolated village of Huayang.  The ancient town has undergone a recent facelift with the old streets being repaved and many of the buildings given new wooden fronts.

In addition, many businesses are now deriving part of their income through tourism enterprises such as farm-stay meals and accommodation as well as selling of local produce and goods.  As a result, villagers are seeing first-hand the potential economic benefits that can come with tourism through the conservation of the surrounding natural area.  Indeed, one recent western visitor to Changqing remarked at how well-dressed the villagers of Huayang were.

However, while tourism brings with it such opportunities, it also creates challenges that need to be recognised.  With Changqing established for the protection of the Giant Panda and conservation of its habitat (along with many other endangered animals and plants), it is important that all activities in the area, including tourism, are managed with this objective in mind.  As a result, my predecessor, Heather Graham, worked with Changqing and WWF to develop an Ecotourism Action Plan for the reserve.  The implementation of this plan is guiding management decisions over the next 5 years in line with ecotourism principles to ensure the maintenance and protection of its precious and unique biodiversity.

With reserves such as Changqing being proactive in preparing for the growth in visitor numbers, I am optimistic about the ability for China to protect its natural areas for future generations to enjoy.  However, I would suggest to anyone thinking about coming here to do it soon.  Reserves such as Changqing are still relatively unknown and visitors, particularly outside of the summer peak season, are likely to have the whole reserve to themselves, which can only be a good thing for animal spotting.  However, China’s rising middle class, combined with its increasing appeal among westerners following events such as the 2008 Beijing Olympics and 2010 Shanghai World Expo, suggests that this is unlikely to be for long.

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Wayne is currently working for Shaanxi Changqing National Nature Reserve in Huayang Village, about 5 hours south-west of Xi’an.

Hi all! My name is Wayne, and I’m an Australian currently working for Shaanxi Changqing National Nature Reserve in Huayang Village, about 5 hours south-west of Xi’an.  My series of posts, as well as my work assisting Changqing staff manage the impacts of tourism on the reserve, follows on from Heather Graham, who was here in 2009.

Changqing was established as a nature reserve in 1995, with an upgrade to ‘national’ status in 1997 for the purposes of conserving the habitat of the Giant Panda (Ailuropoda melanoleuca), of which there are 100 or so that call Changqing home.  Not surprisingly then, the panda is what the reserve is best known for, with many tourists heading to these parts for the opportunity to catch a glimpse of these special animals in the wild.  The best chances of this, I have been informed, is in the winter months when pandas descend to the valleys to escape the cold.  Tracking and spotting pandas is also easier with the abundance of snow and lack of foliage.

However, if you happen to time your visit to China and/or Shaanxi Province during autumn, I have discovered that it’s still a fantastic time to visit Changqing, offering the opportunity to hike among the beautiful fall colours of the Qinling region.  Having only arrived in early November, I have just managed to catch the tail end of autumn.  While the majority of my time so far has been spent settling into life in Huayang, I was fortunate enough to tag along on a couple of guided tours of Changqing conducted by our reserve staff as part of my orientation.

The main road into Changqing follows the river valley and so we make stops along the way to view a few waterfalls.  For me, it’s an opportunity to test out the settings of my new camera, something I made sure I had before I arrived.

At the lower elevations, the mountains are awash with the yellows, oranges and reds of China’s own species of oaks, maples and aspens.  There are also larch trees displaying a vibrant yellow, but after being informed that it is an introduced species (a remnant of Changqing’s past as a forestry reserve) I don’t allow myself to be impressed by their show.

One of the days we spend hiking high up in the mountains in the core summer habitat of the panda, where short thickets of bamboo grow underneath towering pines.  There are no pandas to see on this day, but I’m amazed by the number of scats (animal poo) along the track, indicating healthy populations of golden takin (Budorcas taxicolor bedfordi) and himalayan goral (Naemorhedus goral caudatus) are present in the area.  We even see a few scats of a carnivore, possibly from a leopard (Panthera pardus fusca)!!

While we left the fall colours a few hundred metres below, there are plenty of leafless birch trees which I find beautiful, particularly when the peeling bark is backlit by the sun, giving it striking red glow.

There are also some breathtaking views during the hike, in more ways than one.  At over 2700m, it is not high by Chinese standards, but coming from Australia where I live by the ocean, I struggle a little bit for breath.  I’ll use it as an excuse, anyway, as it’s better than giving off the impression that I’m simply unfit (I do notice, though, that my water bottle compresses on the descent down).

For one of the groups, wildlife is more their passion, and so we spend the majority of our time on the lookout for anything that moves.  These guys really know their stuff, and they certainly looked the part as well, with large DSLR cameras and telescopes being carried from place to place.  The group isn’t disappointed as we spot golden takin, Himalayan goral and wild boar (Sus scrofa moupinensis).  I learn a little trick in wildlife photography along the way, placing the lens of my compact digital up to the telescope to capture this close-up of our takin.

So, that’s about it for my first post.  From what I’ve already seen, Changqing has lots to offer, not just pandas.  If you’ve got time, I think it’s well worth making the effort to call in for a few days on your way between Xi’an and Chengdu, if only for some fresh mountain air and as respite from the hustle and bustle of China’s cities.

Over the following 11 months, I hope to provide a few more of the happenings here in Huayang and Changqing and also include some stories of my travels around this vast country of China.  Please feel free to leave comments or suggestions on what you may want me to cover.

This post is the third in a series by guest blogger Abby Poats. Abby Poats is a Research Associate based in Beijing with the Washington DC-based American Council On Renewable Energy (ACORE) US-China Program (USCP). She also teaches English at China Foreign Affairs University in Beijing through the Princeton in Asia (PiA) fellowship program. Her blog entries contain her personal reflections and do not reflect the views of ACORE USCP.

Source: www.shanghaifocus.com

 

One of China’s staple travel destinations, Xi’an—the present-day capital of Shaanxi Province and one of the Four Great Ancient Capitals of China—is world-renowned for its 8,000-strong subterranean army of Terracotta Warriors. Each year, tens of millions of Chinese and foreign tourists make their pilgrimage to Xi’an to behold these imposing forces commissioned in 210 BCE by Qin Shi Huang, the fierce first emperor of China, to be entombed with him to help him maintain his imperial dominance in the afterlife.

Glossing over 3,100 years of rich, tumultuous history brings us to the present day, as Xi’an adds to its subterranean Terracotta forces a new set of warriors taking on the paramount task of driving innovation up and cost down in the solar photovoltaic (PV) industry.

In order for this development to even be possible, however, the regional economic development strategies of the 1990s first had to catalyze capital investment in poorer regions that had not benefitted as much as cities in the east during the 1970s and 1980s. Xi’an, like several other western cities, soon became home to strategic industrial development zones, which today host research, engineering and manufacturing facilities for the software, telecommunications, and aerospace industries. Today, Xi’an’s 40 universities and over 10,000 annual graduates provide Xi’an’s industrial zones with world-class research capacity.

Hosted by the Xi’an High-tech Industries Development Zone, U.S.-based Applied Materials, the world’s leading provider of solar PV equipment, opened the Applied Materials’ Solar Technology Center in October 2009. As the largest non-government solar energy research center in the world, the facility, according to Applied Materials CEO Mike Splinter, “represents a critical breakthrough for the photovoltaic industry and China” and the “industrialization of the global solar industry.”

Source: www.appliedmaterials.com

 

The facility will focus on research, development and demonstration as well as testing and training for both crystalline silicon and thin film module manufacturing processes. Furthermore, the center will allow local technology suppliers to work with Applied Materials engineers on testing and enhancing the efficiency of their current materials and systems.  

Former capital of thirteen ancient dynasties, Xi’an is working today to distinguish itself as China’s capital of solar research and development. While the city marked the terminus of the Silk Road in the distant past, Xi’an seems poised to become a key origin of solar innovation in the near future.

 by Abby Poats

Upon reflection, as a ‘city girl’, I guess I never thought much about where my food came from. I mean, don’t get me wrong, I knew apples grew on trees, and a pumpkin had to be way too heavy for that, so most likely grew on a vine … and I even had a mini (albeit fairly unsuccessful) veggie patch in my inner-city Melbourne share house. In fact, to be completely honest, friends of mine back home would probably testify that I investigate the origin of my food more than most, having chosen long ago the life of a ‘pescetarian’ (seafood eating vegetarian) for ethical reasons. However, my knowledge, until now, has been intellectual rather than experience based.

Autumn in Huayang, Shaanxi

Living, working and exercising in the town of Huayang has allowed me to watch my dinner grow before my very eyes. I have seen the full process, from seed to harvest of some of my favourite vegetables and grains – including eggplants, corn, pumpkin, beans, carrots, rice and wheat to name just a few. It has had a profound affect upon me, and while saying it is a spiritual experience may be taking it too far, at times it has certainly felt like it.  In the cities of the ‘wealthy west’ so often we fill our days and lives with the pursuit of meaningless things … and to watch farmers at work and vegetables slowly growing through the seasons is a nice reminder of our life sustaining needs and the hard work and reliance upon the elements that is required to obtain these necessities.

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Talking to a journalist recently. He asked me: I’m thinking of going to China in Sept. or Oct. to do a story on China’s holy mountains. Have you been to many of them? Any particular one worth profiling?

Here is my answer:
I am sure you’ve researched, two different definitions of China’s holy mountains:
Wuyue, Five sacred mountains:
1. Tai Shan, Taoist mountain of the east, Shandong
2. Heng Shan Bei, Taoist mountain of the north, Shanxi
3. Hua Shan, Taoist mountain of the west, Shaanxi
4. Heng Shan Nan, Taoist mountain of the south, Hunan
5. Song Shan, Taoist mountain of the center, Henan

Four Buddhist mountains:
1. Wutai Shan in Shanxi
2. Putuo Shan in Zhejiang
3. Ermei Shan in Sichuan
4. Jiuhua Shan in An’hui

Shame to say, I’ve only been to Er’mei, which is stunning. Most of these places are very crowded with tourist, but if you opt for hiking up the mountain the same way the monks did years ago, it’s still really beautiful. Jiuhua Shan is close to the Yellow Mountain. There are some lovely villages nearby that’s worth your visit – Crouching Tiger and Hidden Dragon was filmed there – all those bamboo forests.

If you include Tibet on the list, then I have been the holiest of all Mt. Kailash. I hiked around the mountain myself for 2 days. It’s a once in a lifetime experience.

The last three days in Xi’an have flown by! This historic city, which is southwest of Beijing in Shaanxi province, once served as imperial China’s capital as well as the eastern starting point for the Silk Road trading routes. There’s clearly a lot of history here, which I’ve tried to digest with as much gusto as I’ve been digesting the unique local cuisine.

What have I seen? Xi’an’s most famous sight, the Terracotta Warriors, did not disappoint. Discovered in 1974 by peasants digging a well, these life-size pottery figures of soldiers were created to guard the tomb of the emperor who unified China. I had the opportunity to meet with one of the museum’s experts, who had previously received dignitaries including former Chinese Premier Zhu Rongji and former Russian President Vladimir Putin. She was very gracious, despite the fact that I’ve never helped run an economy, much less a country.

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