Come and enjoy the mystery of Xi’an. Walk aloft of Terracotta army and imagine yourself as a warrior or even an emperor, preparing for afterlife. Wonder through the old Muslim quarter, tasting almost forgotten local delicacies. Or just wonder around the modern part of Xi’an. What is it about Xi’an that is on every traveler’s itinerary, when they come to visit China?
Terracotta Army
Xi’an Muslim Quarter
Xi’an Modern
Since I was a little kid, after watching a Bruce Lee movie, I always wanted to visit the Shaolin Temple in China. Well this last trip to china I got my wish. The Shaolin Temple is located not far from Luoyang in China. It is a magnificent place with lots of feelings and references to the birth of Kung Fu.
The Shaolin monks studied the art for mediation. They mimicked the 5 animals behavior which are tiger, panther, snake, crane, dragon to make up the style. Visiting Shaolin temple you will not see the monks practicing the real Shaolin style, but if you know what to look for you will find its roots. There are many Kung Fu schools around the Monastery, so you will get to see kids practice the modern style of Shaolin. You can also enjoy a Kung Fu show at one of the schools next to the temple grounds.
One word of advice, if you want to learn the real Kung Fu, search for Chi Gun!
Shaolin Temple
While traveling in China I visited the Longman caves in Luoyang. I grabbed a taxi in the city and we went over to the caves, which are located about 40 kilometers away. While in the taxi I felt a bit queasy, but I did not pay it much attention. I attributed it to being tired or motion sickness, although the driver was not swarming all over the place.
When I arrived at the cave complex, all of the sudden, I felt hungry. I ate a few pork buns before I left town, but I guess it was not enough. I went into one of the small restraints and had me some fried noodles. I felt a bit better, but I was still feeling kind of weak.
To avoid walking a lot, I took an electric car from the gate to the caves. The caves are situated on a riverbank, and the air was a bit cool and misty. I arrived at the first cave and started looking at the Buddha statues. I was thinking how similar they are to the Ajunta cave complex in India, which I visited many years back. All of the sudden it hit me!
I was on the second floor of one of the caves. I ran like crazy to the metal railing, and I threw up all my noodles, vomiting like a fire breathing dragon. I must have sprayed many people bellow with my puke. I felt dizzy; I could not walk, and just collapsed on the floor. As I was laying down on the cold floor, the Buddha statue was in front of me. It made me feel comfortable looking at it, but I could not move my limbs. My head was spinning, and the Chinese people passing by were just smirking at me.
I laid down for about ten minutes, then attempted to resume walking through the caves. I walked to the next cave; vomiting a bit on the floor, I ran to the railing and puked my guts out. There was hardly any food left to come out; it was mostly liquid. The Buddha statues were serine and ominous at the same time. I laid down on the floor and attempted to regain my composure. After a short break, I ventured to walk to the next cave enclave, but it was a futile endeavor.
I finally made it to the riverbank – the first floor of the caves, and I felt my internals ready to explode. My stomach felt like there was a knife cutting it. I saw a bathroom and ran into it. There was no western toilet but a squatting toilet. As soon as I opened my pants I squirted diarrhea, and I started throwing up again. I was puking green and shitting brown liquid at the same time. I thought I was going to die, as my whole body was on fire convoluting and shaking.
I had a serious case of food poisoning, which I probably picked up in Beijing a few days earlier. I drank some Chinese Baidju whiskey, which made me feel like I had a hole in my stomach. I guess, whatever food I ate afterwards did not digest properly. I must have spent 20 minutes in the bathroom dripping excrement and throwing up violently at the same time.
I finally stabilized myself, but the bathroom was a mess; a tornado of shit and puke hit it at the same time! I walked out to the riverbank and laid down on the cold asphalt by the river railing. As I laid on the ground, Chinese tourist walking by smirked and laughed at me. I became oblivious of them and stretched my palms outward to the sky. It was a sort of meditation that I was doing. All of the sudden, my body shivered and I felt a strange soothing sensation permeate through me, as if the Buddha spirit came down from the mountain and entered my body. It was a nirvana! I was cured! The dizziness and the nausea stopped, and I felt relaxed lying there at peace.
Did I die and The Great Buddha came down from the heavens to collect my soul? I laid down there with my new found tranquility for about 30 minutes. Finally, I slowly gut up and walked towards the exit of the complex. As I was approaching the exit gate, authorities stopped me. They wanted to detain me, fearing that I was infected with a contagious virus.
I was expecting a biohazard hazmat suit dudes to descend from helicopters and to quarantine the area. Luckily for me, there were some American exchange students. I explained to them that I just had bad food for lunch. They told the Chinese that I am ok. I was allowed to leave.
The Chinese, with their convoluted logic, let me spend 4 hours on my back vomiting all other the place; once I was leaving, they decided there was a problem. There were guards all other the place, and not once during my ordeal did one of them come to my help,
I think enlightenment is always found in hardship, or in my case in Shit! 
Longman Buddha Caves
Loren Feldman and Michelle Oshen
Who is the Puppet and who is the Master?
Art by Noah David Simon
Dominatrix SMBD
While in Beijing, China I visited the old and almost forgotten streets and alleys of Beijing. These places are called Hutongs and they are beaming with nostalgia and aesthetics. Wondering some of the Hutongs you will come across almost forgotten out of the way Chinese restaurants with perfect ambiance, serving authentic Chinese foods. Visit some antique shops selling Chinese memorabilia and traditional pieces of art. Watch the kids play oblivious to the surroundings. Explore and marvel at traditional Chinese architecture and the clay eves on roofs. Or just wonder through the street and alleys of Hutongs escaping industrialized modern Beijing.
The Chinese government is in a hurry to bulldoze these authentic house to build skyscrapers. They say it is for the best of Beijing inhabitants because it promotes economic growth I say China is destroying its wonderful past all in the name of progress!
Beijing Hutongs
The Great Wall of China is a marvelous undertaking. Just its colossal size will make you tremble in awe when you see it. Built over the two millenniums it has been a marvelous architectural undertaking.
While it was made to protect the Chinese kingdom from barbarian Mongols of the North, it did not accomplish its task but served only as an intimidation. Because the wall was segmented, built and maintained by different provinces there were pours in the barrier! The Mongol warrior Genghis Khan skirted the wall and bribed guards to gain access to China in his campaign of 13th century.
The Ming dynasty were invaded by Manchurian Qing who gained access to Beijing via the wall because of a love affair that went wrong. The Ming emperor in love with a concubine who was also secretly involved with a Ming general who betrayed the Ming to the Ching allowing access trough the wall. The sordid love affair was stronger than the wall defenses!
With all its history and intrigue the Great Wall of China starches through out the whole China approximately 6,400 km (4,000 miles) from Shanhaiguan in the east to Lop Nur in the west! Every part has its own story to tell. So like China which takes ages to explore, the wall and its different neighborhoods would require time.
The part that I visited is in Beijing. I trekked from Jinshanling to Simatai which is around 100 kilometers from Beijing. It is about a 10 kilometers hike but can become longer if you chose to explore the eastern side of the wall. Make sure to turn left after you ascended the wall in Jinshaling or one day will not be enough to do the whole thing and you will be walking in the dark, if not sleeping on the wall. The panoramic view is mind boggling and exulting. Climbing steps after steps you will walk through the towers that once served the soldiers guarding the wall. (You can also start in Simatai and trek to Jinshaling, but you will have trouble finding bus transport coming back to the city.)
The Great Wall of China
Beijing Simatai Jinshanling
Imperial City - Forbidden City in Beijing China is a huge palace of the Ming and Qing dynasties! As it guarded the Chinese nobility for centuries without any commoner having access to it, it is still guarded by the statues, urns, and spirits of the past.
To get to the palace you first have to pass through a formidable portrait of Chairman Mao Ze Dong. Then you walk from one court yard into another across bridges made of marble, while looked upon by the urns and sacred lions of the past to get to the emperor’s throne. The Ming built the Forbidden City on the principles of Feng Shui which dictates that the head of the family should be in the center. Please see the architectural difference of the Imperial Palace in Shenyang constructed by the Qing dynasty.
Forbidden City Beijing
Benxi water cave in Liaoning Province China is stupendous. It is the longest water cave in the world. It is located two and a half hours by bus south of Shenyang.
While floating down the river in the boat I was mesmerized by its greatness in size. Winding around with enormous chamber at some parts and narrow passages at others it stretches through about three kilometers. Stalagmite formations protrude at you like mystical animals from the underworld. The cave is illuminated by green, red, blue, and yellow lights making the visions divine!
Following the Taoism tradition the Stalagmites are given unique mystical names. Although I have to confess the names given at the cave are different than the one’s I ascribed.
The Abyss
The Bats
Beginning of Life
The Chicken Head
The Devil
The Elephant
The Eyes
The Full Moon
The Grasshopper
The Lion
The Mystery
Perplexity
The Rose
Sadness
The Snake
The Stake
The Taranchula
The Tear Drop
The Whale
Wisdom
The Tiger
The Sun Set
Shenyang Imperial Palace is much smaller than the Beijing Imperial Palace in China, but it is a wonder to see for its architecture and design.
Shenyang Imperial Palace was build by the nomadic tribesmen who established the Qing dynasty in the first part of the 17th century. After the Qing emperor built the palace in Shenyang, the Manchuria North East China, he with his army proceeded to concur Beijing and wrestle the power away from the Ming dynasty emperor.
After defeating the Ming emperor, the Qing emperor became the supreme leader of the whole China. He moved the capital from Shenyang to Beijing while keeping the Shenyang as a secondary capital. All Qing emperors came to the Shenyang capital to pay homage to their ancestors all the way through until the end of their dynasty!
Shenyang Imperial Palace
The Front
The Throne
Approach the Sacred Hall
The Sacred Hall
Sacred Throne Chambers
The Roofs
The Facade
The Hallway
Art Work
The Red Colors
The Bed
The Seating Room
The Bridge
The Rock Statue
Jade Ornament
Porcelain Flask
Porcelain Plate
Porcelain Wine Pot
Porcelain Tea Pot
The Door Ornament
Please also read Forbidden City Beijing, so you can see the contrast between the Ming and Qing building architectures.
