Journey of Harmony

The Olympic flame, a traditional Greek symbol of peace and friendship, has endured for more than 2,700 years. The flame’s fire, reportedly stolen by Prometheus from the Greek god Zeus, had deep connotations in ancient Greece and was ever-present in important temples, including the Temple of Hera, dedicated to Zeus’ wife, where the modern-day Olympic flame is kindled every four years. During the ancient Games, the flame was even used in relays. Such was its symbolic force that it was used to celebrate the death and rebirth of Greece’s most important heroes.

The flame made its first appearance at a modern Games during the 1928 Olympic Games in Amsterdam, Holland. But it wasn't until Berlin 1936 that the Olympic flame was relayed from Olympia to an Olympic stadium, establishing itself a new tradition suited to promoting the Games and the city hosting the Games.

Once lit, the torch is usually carried by relay runners throughout Greece for 10 days before it leaves for its host-city. But before the flame arrives at its ultimate destination, the Olympic stadium in the host city, it has been carried around the country where a Games are to be held. During the Opening Ceremonies the flame is used to light a giant torch that, as in ancient times, will burn continually until the Games’ closing ceremony.

When this globe-trotting ritual was first introduced to promote the 1936 Games, the Olympic flame travelled 3,422 kilometres (km) from Athens to Berlin. In comparison, the 2008 Olympic Torch Relay, with the theme “Journey of Harmony,” is expected to cover 137,000 km, which is the longest distance of any Olympic Torch Relay in history, featuring the most torch-bearers.

After the 2008 Olympic flame was lit in Olympia, Greece, on March 24, the torch travelled to the Panathenaikon Stadium in Athens, the site of the first modern Olympic Games in 1896, where the handover ceremony took place. A welcoming ceremony was held on March 31 on Tian’an-men Square in Beijing, beginning the 2008 Olympic Torch Relay.

From there it travelled to Almaty, Kazakhstan, the first stop of the 2008 global torch relay. The torch relay outside the Chinese mainland concluded in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam, on April 29. The route passed through 19 cities on six continents, sparking an unprecedented interest in all things Chinese and Olympic among foreigners, overseas Chinese and Olympic sports fans everywhere. The aim was to encourage greater understanding, spread love and friendship and to enhance harmony among the people of the world.

After returning to Chinese soil, the Olympic flame will be carried around China, starting from Hong Kong and Macao on May 2 and 3. The relay will cover 113 cities in 31 provinces, autonomous regions and municipalities, from Hainan and Guangdong provinces in the south, to Zhejiang and Jiangsu provinces on the east; from Gangsu and Shanxi provinces in the west, to Heilongjiang and Liaoning provinces in the north. The cities the torch will pass through are interesting and attractive, providing an excellent opportunity for foreigners to learn more about China, a country of unparalleled diversity.

From this issue, Beijing This Month will take you on a “Journey of Harmony” along the torch relay route around China, starting with the eight provinces the Olympic flame will pass through in May: Hainan, Guangdong, Fujian, Jiangxi, Zhejiang, Jiangsu, Anhui and Hubei. Follow the Olympic torch and enjoy the varying views of South and Central China.

 

Sanya, Hainan Province

Sanya will be the first city on the Chinese mainland to receive the Olympic Torch on May 4, after its departure from Beijing. However, the city is no stranger to holding large-scale and influential events as it successfully hosted Miss World contests in 2003–05 and 2007.

Located on the southernmost tip of Hainan Province, Sanya is known as the “Oriental Hawaii” connoting its status as one of China’s top tourist resorts. Surrounded by tropical seas and enveloped in a matching monsoon climate, you can enjoy a unique oceanic landscape that is totally different from that of other provinces. Sanya Bay, Yalong Bay and Dadonghai dot the golden coastline of Sanya, and they are top choices for visitors on holiday. Instead of a busy and exhausting journey to faraway sites, you can relax here, strolling Sanya's paradisiacal beaches, while enjoying its soothing sea air.

If you are an enthusiast of exciting water activities, Wuzhizhou Island is your place to explore an exotic and diverse sea. Even though there is no current bus service to Haitang Bay, north of Sanya City, taxis can take you to Wuzhizhou Island Wharf for a cost of about 50 yuan; take a ferry from the wharf to the island from 7:40 a.m.–4 p.m. Ferries depart every 20 minutes with the last returning ferry departing at 6 p.m.

The Nanshan Temple, located about 40 km west of Sanya City, is the most famous Buddhist temple in Hainan Province. It faces the South China Sea and is encircled by mountains. There are several ways to get to the temple, but the most convenient is to take direct buses via the Jiefang Second Road of Sanya City. The entrance fee to the temple is 150 yuan per person.

It is expected that Yi Jianlian, who plays in the US National Basketball Association, will be the first torchbearer in the relay. The torch will pass from Sanya to Wuzhishan, Wanning and Haikou May 4–6.

 

Huizhou, Guangdong Province

Historically regarded as "Gateway of Eastern Guangdong" and a "Famous Place in Lingnan," Huizhou has been a political, economic, cultural and transportation centre in the Dongjiang River Basin since the Sui Dynasty (AD 581–618).

Mountains and hills are found in northern and eastern Huizhou and plains in its central region. Southern Huizhou has a long, meandering coastline featuring charming scenery. The Dongjiang and Xijiang rivers flow through the area, bringing fine water to the area and Hong Kong, Shenzhen and Guangzhou.

Huizhou’s tourism resources are rich and varied, with six historical structures and sites that have received protection at the provincial and state levels, including West Lake of Huizhou (not the one in Hangzhou but of the same beauty), Luofu Mountain, Nankun Mountain, Tanggun Spring and Daya Bay Bathing Beach. Mountains, springs, lakes, the ocean and isles are integrated in one natural scene along with the cultural relics found there. Along the route, torchbearers will pass through West Lake and Dongjiang Bridge, enabling the whole world to view the city’s scenery.

Local traditional practices are a favourite of foreign visitors to the area. These include the Dragon Dance during the Spring Festival and Moon Admiring during the Mid Autumn Festival, which is the second most important festival in Huizhou. The Yao ethnic minority group in Longmen County has its own special customs that add to the city’s charm and excitement.

Local specialties include Dongjiang River sticky rice wine, Huizhou lychee and Yangcun oranges.

 

Longyan, Fujian Province

Longyan in western Fujian Province has an oceanic monsoon climate. Its weather is moderate year-round, without chilly winters or torrid summers: its annual average temperature is between 18- and 20-degrees Celsius, making the city a year-round tourist destination.

 The Mt. Guanzhai scenic area features mountains, lakes and villages; Longkong Cave, a natural limestone cave; Mt. Guanzhi, with many cliff inscriptions, towers, pavilions, and an academy of classical learning; and the Meihua Mountain Nature Reserve, a major habitat of the rare South China Tiger, are major tourist attractions. However, none of them excels the lure of the unique Hakka culture.

According to historical records, the Han people were moved southward during an invasion by a northern tribe. These became known as the Hakka People, most of whom lived in Fujian Province. Their unique culture and architecture are well known even today, especially the Hakka Round Houses (tulou) in Yongding County, which was a kind of fortress with a single entrance. The Olympic flame will pass through this ancient structure, which will bring even more attention to the Hakka culture and its customs, such as Hakka folksongs, Han Opera of West Fujian, tea-picking dance of Longyan, Dancing Dragon in Liancheng, Running Folk-Tale Pageant, and Bass Drum of Yongding.

Special local products of Longyan are dried bean curd, Liancheng dried sweet potatoes, Zhangping dried bamboo shoots, Xinluo rice noodles and peanuts, Wanying tea, Xuan paper (Chinese calligraphic paper), shuixian chabing (cake-shaped compressed tea) and Yongding persimmons.

 

Nanchang, Jiangxi Province

Nanchang means “prosperous south.” More than 2,200 years’ old, Nanchang is a city with significant historical importance as the political, economic and cultural centre of Jiangxi Province. For many centuries, it was also a distribution centre for famous porcelain from nearby Jingdezhen. The city became famous on August 1, 1937, when Zhou Enlai led an uprising against Chiang Kai-shek’s nationalist army at Nanchang. Today, the anniversary of the uprising is celebrated each year in China as the day the People's Liberation Army was founded.

Nanchang is a beautiful city with the Ganjiang River, the mother river of local people, flowing through the city. Water is her soul: or in other words, water carries all her beauty. Lakes and rivers in and around Nanchang gift the city with a special charm. Nanchang is honoured as “a green pearl in southern China” because of its clear water, fresh air and inner-city flora.

A long and splendid history has endowed Nanchang with many cultural relics, among which the ancient Tengwang Pavilion is the most famous. Many men of letters left their handwritings here, which tremendously enhance its classical charm. From Nanchang, you can also take excursion tours to the famous summer resort Lushan Mountain and to China's porcelain capital Jingdezhen nearby.  

 

Shaoxing, Zhejiang Province

Shaoxing, south of the Yangtze River, has a history of more than 2,500 years and is a well-known historical and cultural city in China. Shaoxing is dotted with lakes and crisscrossed by rivers with stone bridges over them. It presents a unique watery landscape. The charming green hills and numerous clear waters endow the city with a kind of spirituality of peace which reveals the harmony between man and nature.

Shaoxing is culturally rich. Many famous literary figures and scholars in Chinese history were born or settled here. Some of their former residences remain and continue to tell people of the lives of these outstanding figures. The most famous of all is the compound where Lu Xun (1881–1936), one of China’s most respected authors, was born and spent his childhood. The city and the compound were a source of inspiration for Lu in his writings.

Most of the spots in Shaoxing provide a background to the literature or literary figures like the Shen Garden and the Orchid Pavilion. The 800-year-old Shen Garden was originally a private landscape garden in the classical style. What is so different in this garden is that it was the setting for the moving love story of Lu You, a poet of the Song Dynasty (960–1279), and his wife, whose love was trammelled by the pressure of Lu’s mother. The thousands-of-years-old Orchid Pavilion (Lan Ting) is an integration of mountain landscape and a water town.

Shaoxing is also known for its natural beauty. The best-known scenic spot is the Donghu Lake, or the "East Lake," one of the three famous lakes in Zhejiang Province. Unlike the beautiful and elegant West Lake in Hangzhou, East Lake is famous for its fantastic water scenery accompanied by some intriguing rocks and a series of exotic caves. There are nine bridges on the lake and many pavilions dot its banks.

 

Taizhou, Jiangsu Province

Taizhou lies in the centre of Jiangsu Province, on the lower reaches of the Huaihe River. It is bordered by Yangzhou in the west, and separated from Suzhou and Wuxi by the Yangtze River on its south. Together with ancient Yangzhou and Nanjing, it has long been famous nationwide as one of most prosperous cities in the old days. During the Southern Tang (AD 937–975), a prefecture was set up called Taizhou, meaning the "land of wealth and peace."

Spring is the best time for travel to Taizhou, and boating on Qinhu Lake is a favoured activity. Not only a wetland eco-tour scenic spot for milu (David’s deer), but also a holiday resort for water landscape, Qinhu Lake has fine scenery and excellent accommodations. The ancient water town of Qintong and the boating festival (every April around the Pure Brightness Festival) make up the highlights of the scenic area.

Mei Lanfang (1894–1961), one of the greatest Beijing Opera performers, was born in Taizhou. The Mei Lanfang Memorial Museum features a collection of relics on Mei's life and achievements, and the city also has a garden named after him. It is housed in a garden-like compound with clusters of structures built and rebuilt during the Ming (1368–1644) and Qing (1644–1911) dynasties and the layout is like the gardens in South China.

Travel to Taizhou is convenient. Almost all the bus stations in Shanghai offer bus service to Taizhou, normally about a 3.5-hour drive. Yangzhou is near Taizhou. The Yangzhou Long-Distance Bus Station is located on Jiangyang Xilu; its buses can reach Taizhou in about an hour and a half. From Downtown Taizhou, Nanjing can be reached in about three hours. Visitors can use the Nanjing Lukou International Airport if travelling by air.

 

Wuhu, Anhui Province

Wuhu, at the juncture of the Yangtze and Qingyi rivers, has a history of more than 2,000 years. It served as a commodity distribution centre in the mountainous areas of southern Anhui, the Chaohu Lake areas, and the Yangtze River regions.

The list of things to see and do in Wuhu is larger than you might think, and there are activities to suit many tastes in this city. The best part is that most attractions in Wuhu are inexpensive to visit (if there is any fee at all), and they are very easy to get to: simply flag down a taxi and you're on your way.

Mirror Lake (Jing Hu) lies in the middle of town and is surrounded by a well-maintained park. Mirror Lake Park will afford you some glimpses of the China you may have dreamed of, with many beautiful views. The calm, still waters of the lake are surrounded on all sides by willow trees, ancient Chinese structures, and hectic markets. The centre piece of the park is Jiuzi Square, which is filled with statues, the grandest an impressive 20-metre-tall bronze pillar depicting Chinese phoenixes, surrounded on all sides by fountains. In the morning the park is packed with elderly people practicing taiji (Chinese shadow boxing), who will be glad to teach you some kung fu moves: an amazing experience.

Guangjisi (Guangji Temple) was first built during the Song Dynasty (AD 960–1279), but it has been renovated many times since. The temple ground is quite large and is kept spotlessly clean: the smell of incense hangs ever-present in the air. Here you can wander through exquisite shrines, join people in burning incense and glimpse the comings and goings of saffron-clad monks and nuns. The entrance fee is 5 yuan.

The Catholic Cathedral located on Jihe Jie seems out of place in Wuhu; it was built after the Opium War in the 1840s, when China was forced to open Wuhu and four other cities to trade. This well-maintained church is well worth a visit where services are held there regularly. At Christmastime the church is especially packed, with Chinese exchanging gifts in celebration of this imported holiday.

Mt. Ma Ren will astound visitors with its breathtaking landscape of jagged yellow rocks jutting out at odd angles from the tree canopy. The Buddhist temple at the foot of the mountain is also spectacular. This must-see tourist attraction is only an hour's bus trip out of town, and provides a great insight into rural China.

 

Jingzhou, Hubei Province

Jingzhou, on the middle reaches of the Yangtze River, has been a strategic place of military importance since ancient times, and it is a famous cultural city in South China. With a history of 2,000 years, Jingzhou has a reputation of being “the finest under heaven.”

It was originally one of the birthplaces of the Chu culture in the Spring and Autumn Period (770–476 BC) and the Warring States Period (476–220 BC), which left extremely valuable cultural relics from their 400 years' reign, equal in comparison with the ancient Greek and Roman cultures. In the Three Kingdoms Period (AD 220–589), the city was the focus of many disputes and wars. Beginning with the Eastern Jin Dynasty (AD 317–420), the city served as the capital of 11 emperors and the political centre of China for more than 100 years. For its importance in Chinese history, the city has been acknowledged by the central government as one of 24 famous historical and cultural ancient cities.

Jingzhou is divided into three parts from its outside to its inside: the Water City, Brick City and Earth City, which were originally designed to serve military functions. The Brick City seen now was rebuilt during the Ming and Qing dynasties. It is one of the most complete and sturdy surviving structures. The wall was built with bricks and stripped stones at the bottom; the gaps between the bricks were filled with a sticky rice substance that hardened with time and provided a substantially firm substitute to the cement that we are now so familiar with.

The Jingzhou Museum has a collection of more than 120,000 cultural relics, including ancient jade artefacts, silks, spears, swords, lacquer ware. The most important items in the museum's collection include a "bamboo book" produced before paper was invented. The "book," which is on ancient mathematics, is made up of bamboo slips on which words are written. Also kept in the museum is the well-preserved body of a nobleman who lived some 2,000 years ago.