During the early part of the 20th century architecture in China’s major coastal cities reflected the merger of classic European tastes with Chinese traditional motifs. This occurred during periods of trade and initial contact with the west. This particular building in Tianjin built in 1917, and stands as testimony to this unique fusion of architectural style.
A fancy brick carving on the wall of Tar Monastery, Xining, Gansu Province, takes on extreme tranquility and auspice in the afternoon sunshine. I believe the clay carefully cultured by artists shall be filled with inspiration since the inspiration lies in the heart of the artists.
The Great Wall of China stretches like a dragon from the desert to sea. Built and rebuilt over two thousand years it is a stretch of the imagination to understand how this formidable defensive works was completed.
Ancient abandoned cities over a thousand years old dot China’s western deserts where the Silk Road once traversed, as testimony to the earliest form of globalization.
A remnant of a castle on the Gebi Desert in northeast China. There are many buried ancient civilizations not found for the time being in China.
The brick carving motif of a typical home in ancient times reflects the richness and depth of Chinese culture.
The color painted characters on the wall shows the adherent’s hope; meanwhile, it also reflects the deep blessing from the carving artists. Delicate lines are carved on the hard stone with fine carving knives, which demands the tranquility from the heart except for adept skills and strong will. All of this comes from the power of belief.
In Shanxi Province’s Datong City one can find the ancient Yungang Grottoes carvings of Buddhas and Bodhisattvas.
Brick carving on an ancient wall in Xi’an displays the characters “Confucius Temple.” Such “spirit walls” block ghosts from entering homes and temples. In Xi’an, the ancient capital of the Tang Dynasty (618-907), pottery figurines are testimony to the vivid history of those times.
Guge is the ancient lost kingdom of Tibet perched on a mountain in a vast Toding canyon in Tibet’s westernmost region.
Flower King Hall was built between 1558-1560, and is one of the three great old churches of Macao , the former Portuguese colony along China ’s southern coast.
As a special type in China’s native architectures, Guangdong Kaiping Blockhouse is a multi-storey tower building integrating defense, residence and Chinese and Western architecture. At present, over 1,400 blockhouses are in good conditions. Kaiping Blockhouse extraordinarily reflects the wide communications of the recent Chinese and Western culture in China’s southern countryside. And it also witnesses the mutual influence and blending of China’s immigrant’s culture with other peoples in that historical period. Moreover, it also reflects the journey of overseas Chinese and people actively accepting the Western culture.
In northeast Shangrao of Jiangxi Province, Sanqing Mountain has 1.4 billion years of topographer change. It has strange stones and interesting trees.
In Fujian Province traditional clans lived in “round hoses” which offered protection against the outside but close familiar living on the inside, reflective of Chinese culture.
A mosque in China’s Muslim laced northwest desert area reflects Arabian and Chinese architectural styles merged along the Silk Road which was the world’s main trading route between both cultures.
Inner Mongolia grassland steppes compose a rich land that supports livestock of lamb and cows making the Inner Mongolia grasslands China’s milk basket.
Kawagabo is a Buddhist Guardian of Tibetan people. It takes the form of a snow-capped mountain known in Chinese as the Meli Snow Mountain in Shangri la County of Yunnan Province.
