Discover China's Diverse Land, People and Way of Life from Ancient China to China Today
What are ancient China's greatest landmarks and achievements and what are the interesting stories behind them?
How is the daily way of life of the minority tribes of China and how is their music different from traditional Chinese music?
What are the important times and events in the history of China?
The following passages are excerpted from my award-winning children's book "A Musical Journey: From the Great Wall of China to the Water Towns of Jiangnan"
Great Wall of China – The Chinese Dragon
When seen from above the Great Wall looks like a dragon zigzagging over mountain tops. The Chinese call it “Wan Li Chang Cheng” which means “Wall of 10,000 Li”. (10,000 li= 5,000 km)...
The Silk Road -- Connecting East and West
The Silk Road is a series of caravan routes which connected China and Europe some 2,000 years ago. Along these paths the exchange of ideas and inventions between East and West changed the world forever...
Tibet -- Roof of the World
Tibet Autonomous Region is situated on the Qinghai-Tibet plateau, the highest in the world, at an average elevation of 4,000m above sea level. Tibet is surrounded by snow-capped mountains on all sides. In the south, the Himalaya Mountains are home to the highest peak in the world, Mount Everest, which stands at 8848m. Tibetans call Mount Everest “Mother Goddess of the Earth”...
South of the Yangtze -- Heaven on Earth *MUSIC*
Jiangnan (South of the Yangtze River) is famed for its scenic water towns and lakes. A typical water town is Zhouzhuang. This 900-year-old town has arched bridges, winding streams and quaint houses in the old Chinese style. Among the lakes, West Lake (Xihu) and Tai Lake (Taihu) are the most beautiful...
Yunnan -- Land of Eternal Spring
Yunnan means "South of the Colorful Clouds". Legend has it that 2,000 years ago the emperor saw rosy clouds in the southern skies and sent scouts to search for the source. The area where the clouds appeared was renamed Yunnan...
"Geography, history, magic… all in one. Essential as an early introduction to China." --
Marie Serdynska, Coordinator of Multiculturalism, Montreal Children's Hospital |
