Pnyin - Shanxi Province

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Shanxi Province

Geography

Shanxi (literally, west of mountain) is named after its location in the west of the Taihang Mountain Range. It is situated 34"35"-40"45" north latitude and 110"15"-114"32" east longitude with an area of 156,300 square kilometers. It is bounded by the North China Plain in the east and the middle
Yellow River in the west. Mountains cover 67.5% of Shanxi Province, and its highlands, hills and basins stand at about 1,000 meters or more above sea level, sloping from northeast to southwest.

Climate

Shanxi has a continental monsoonal climate with distinctive seasons. It has cold winters but mild summers, with a mean annual temperature of 6oC to 14oC. The greater part of the province has a mean annual precipitation of 400-650 mm, increasing gradually from northwest to southeast.

Administrative Division and Population

It is divided into 1 district, 10 prefecture-level cities, 12 county-level cities and 85 counties, with a population of 32.97 million as of 2000, mainly including ethnic groups of Han, Hui, Mongolian and Manchu.

Food

Daoxiao Mian (Knife-Pared Noodles), Shaomai (steamed dumplings with the dough gathered at the top), and Youmian (Naked Oats Noodles), etc.

Special Local Products

The traditional specialties are Fen wine, Zhuyeqing wine, Qingxu vinegar and Changzhi ginseng.

Culture

Shanxi Bangzi (a kind of opera in Shanxi), Huagu (Flower Drum), and Yangge (popular rural folk dance), etc.

Brief Introduction

Shanxi, Jin for short, is situated on the middle segment of the Yellow River. The land of Shanxi is one of the origins of Chinese civilization, exhibiting evidence of human settlement over a million years ago. Huangdi (the Yellow Emperor), a famous legendary hero, apparently sojourned in Shanxi,
and the earliest rulers, Yao, Shun and Yu, all founded their capitals there. Datong, known as Pingcheng in ancient times, was the capital of the Northern Wei Dynasty (386-534) and famous throughout the Southern and Northern Dynasties (420-581). During the Sui (581-618) and Tang (618-907)
Dynasties, Shanxi became very prosperous. In the past, Shanxi people were once called the Chinese Jews, indicating that they were people of wisdom. The long history of Shanxi has provided the province with a rich and colorful cultural heritage.

The basins here are the main agricultural region. The most important products are wheat, corn, cotton and peanut. Shanxi is the base of coal industry. The produces of heavy machinery and textile are very important in the whole country. Also, there is iron and steel, electric power, chemical
industry, textile and food. The communication is mainly railway. And the highway here is convenient, too.

There are abundant historic reserves in Shanxi, including Wutai Mountain, Hengshan Mountain, the Jin Ancestral Hall in Taiyuan, the Yungan Grottos in Datong, the Shuanglin Temple in Pingyao, the Hanging Temple in Hunyuan, and the Hukou Waterfall of the Yellow River.

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Chinese Character - Dancing Beijing -- Beijing 2008 Olympic Emblem

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Dancing Beijing -- Beijing 2008 Olympic Emblem

( 2008-07-10 )



The emblem of Beijing 2008 Olympic, officially entitled "Chinese Seal, Dancing Beijing” has a single Chinese character on a traditional red Chinese seal.



With inspiration from the traditional Chinese art form - calligraphic art, the character "Jing" (the latter of the city's name which also means "capital") is developed into the form of a dancing human being, reflecting the ideal of a "New Olympics". The words "Beijing 2008", also resembling the
vivid shapes of Chinese characters in handwriting, are written below, voicing in concise strokes of the countless feelings Chinese people possess towards the Olympics.

"Dancing Beijing" serves as the city's foremost appearance. It is an image that shows the eastern ways of thinking and the nation's lasting appeal embodied in the Chinese characters. It is an expression that conveys the unique cultural quality and elegance of Chinese civilization.

"Dancing Beijing" is the city's signature -- Jing. The ancient art of calligraphy expresses the grace and character of the Chinese and the charm and beauty of their traditions. The image of Beijing's Olympics, inspired by the ancient figure for Beijing, turns the city into a dancing athlete in the
graceful sweep of the calligrapher's hand.

"Dancing Beijing" is the color of China -- the red, which is the most significant color in Chinese culture's symbol of luck, of celebration and of new beginnings. Red, symbol of vitality, is intensively used in the emblem, hushing the passion up to a new level. The depth of its meaning equals the
depth of its beauty. It carries Chinese people's longing for luck and happiness and their explanation of life.

"Dancing Beijing", in the form of the dragon, extends the totem of the Chinese nation. Its graceful curves are like the body of a wriggling dragon, relating the past and future of one same civilization; they are like rivers, carrying the century-old history and the nation's pride; they are like
veins, pulsing with vitality of life.

"Dancing Beijing" represents the spirit of the individual. The form of a running human being stands for the beauty and magnificence of life. It is the symbol for every Olympian, every performer, every volunteer and every spectator. Arms flung wide, it invites all people and the world to share in
the city's history, beauty, energy, and its future.

The intrinsic values of sports - athlete-centered and people-oriented - are well defined and upgraded in an artistic way in “Dancing Beijing." It captures the soul of a city in transformation and its motion conveys a message of hope, joy, and unity. It is a celebration of "peace, friendship and
progress of mankind."





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Chinese Character - Sichuan Province

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Library>China ABC>Geography>Introduction







Sichuan Province




Geography



Sichuan, in China's western hinterland, covers most of the Sichuan Basin. Surrounded by mountains, it is situated at 26'03"-34'20" north latitude and 97'22"-110'10" east longitude with an area of 567,000 square kilometers, accounting for 5.1% of China's total area. Sichuan is high in the west and
low in the east in terms of topography. Generally speaking, the western part is plateaus and mountainous regions some 4,000 meters above sea level, while the eastern part features basin and hilly land with an elevation between 1,000 and 3,000 meters.

Climate

The climate in Sichuan is vastly different between its eastern and western parts. The Sichuan Basin has a humid sub-tropical monsoonal climate, with mild winters, hot summers, long frost-free period, plentiful rainfall and mist, high humidity, and less sunshine. Its average temperature in July,
the hottest month, is 25-29oC; in January, the coldest month, 3-8oC. The Western Sichuan Plateau with its plateau climate has lower temperature and less rainfall than the Sichuan Basin, both of which differ again in the southern and northern sections of the plateau.

Administrative Division and Population

It is divided into 5 districts, 3 autonomous prefectures, 13 prefecture-level cities, 18 county-level cities, 124 counties, and 3 autonomous counties, with a population of 83.29 million as of 2000.

Food

Sichuan Cuisine, one of the Eight Great Cuisines in China, emphasizes the use of chili, red hot peppers and garlic. Typical menu items are: Hot Pot, Smoked Duck, Kung Pao Chicken, Twice Cooked Pork, Mapo Tofu. Shuizhu Niurou (steamed beef with a variety of seasonings and spices), Yuxiang Rousi (a
roast pork dish cooked with bamboo shoots, mushrooms), Zhangcha Duck (salted, smoked duck), etc.

Culture

Chuanju (Sichuan Opera), Xieju (comic opera)

Brief Introduction

Sichuan Province, Shu for short, is located in southwest China, with Chengdu as its capital city. Sichuan, generally classified as a rice region, abounds in agricultural products. It is listed as one of China's major producers of rice, wheat, cotton, rapeseeds, raw silk, oil-bearing crops, meat,
and fruit, and also holds a significant place in production of medicinal herbs, pigs and cattle. Sichuan's major industrial products are metals, coal, petroleum, machinery, electric power, well salt, chemicals, electronics, textiles and foodstuff etc.

Sichuan is known as the "Land of Abundance" and has three places listed as the World Cultural and Natural Heritage, namely the Jiuzhaigou Scenic Area, the Huanglong Scenic Area, and Emei Mountain including the Leshan Giant Buddha. Visitors to this province can experience a wide variety of
beautiful landscapes including plateaus, mountains, ravines, basins, hills, plains, rivers, lakes, hot springs, waterfalls and limestone caves. Most of the rivers in Sichuan belong to the Yangtze River system.

Sichuan is gifted with lush mountains and exquisite waters, and abounds in historical and cultural resources. Its main scenic spots and historical sites include Emei Mountain, Qingcheng Mountain, and Long Valley, the Dujiangyan Irrigation System, Leshan Giant Buddha, and Jiuzhaigou (Nine-Village
Valley). The Wolong Nature Reserve in Sichuan is home to the Chengdu Giant Panda Research Base, one of the most important centers in the world for the captive conservation of the Giant Panda.

As one of the largest provinces, Sichuan has more than 15 minority groups living with the Han people. Among these are the Yi, Hui, Tibetan and Miao peoples. Each of these minorities has its own charm, ethnic style and folk custom. Some of the ethical festivals like Leshan Great Buddha
International Tourist Festival, Southland Ice and Snow Festival, Liangshan Yi Minority Torch Festival and Zigong Lantern Festival have become Sichuan's unique tourist resources.











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