ChinaDaily[980207-8]

[Chinese News]

China Daily

98 / 02 / 07 /

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1. Yong'an offers a feast to the eye for travellers
2. 'Mount Monkey' lures tourists
3. Travel Notes (Page 5, Date: 02/07/98)
4. What's on (Page 6, Date: 02/07/98)
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Yong'an offers a feast to the eye for travellers
YONG'AN County in northwest Fujian Province has gained an
increasing reputation for its rare natural beauty.
The Binglu Mountain and Linyin Stone Forest, two of its major
scenic spots, have attracted tens of thousands of travellers from
home and abroad since it was designated a State-level sightseeing
area in the early 1990s.
About 10 kilometres north from the city proper, the Binglu
Mountain, flanked by the Wuyi Mountain and the Daiyun Mountain,
was called Wuyi Mountain Junior (Xiao Wuyi) during the Song
Dynasty (960-1279) for it was much smaller than the Wuyi, but no
less fascinating for its scenery.
The mountain is within the Peach Blossoms Cave sightseeing area,
covering about 52 square kilometres and boasting 72 scenic spots
on both sides of the middle reaches of the Yanjiang River, a
tributary of the Minjiang River in Fujian.
The best times to go are in spring and early summer.
At the foot of the mountain lies the small, crystal-clear Binglu
Pond (Binglu Tan), the size of half a basketball court.
Under the pond is a spring, the origin of a brook which runs along
a winding course before it drops abruptly and forms a little
waterfall.
Fish swim near the surface of the pond, and sometimes timid
visitors shriek at the sight of languorous water snakes slithering
on its banks.
But the snakes are harmless to humans unless they are attacked,
the local guides said.
It is said that the Binglu Mountain was once covered with peach
trees and that is how the cave got the name Taoyuan Dong (Peach
Blossom Cave).
But the so-called Peach Blossom Cave, 10 kilometres north of
Yong'an proper, is not really a cave at all but a narrow crevice
in a hill. It is dubbed Yi Xian Tian by the local people, which
means one can see a ray of sunlight only if one peers up while
slipping through a crack in the rock less than 0.5 metres wide.
It is said that it is hard to find any other scenic spots in China
to match this 120-metre-long crevice.
Passing through the crack is an interesting experience for anyone,
especially larger visitors.
Anyone who fears he will regret his decision to try to go halfway
through the crevice had better choose another path to the peak of
the mountain.
Tourists can go into the crack only one by one, and step up stone
staircases on either side.
Once in the crevice there is no chance to turn around and retreat;
the only course open is ahead, even if it means walking in the
dark for a while.
The two straight "walls" of the crack are rough and dry in most
parts, but occasionally an unexpected small insect or a drop of
dew falls onto visitors' necks, which can make their skin crawl.
At the end of the crack, a gigantic, house-sized rock, Fei Lai Shi
(Rock That Flew There), stands on a crag.
In front of the rock, the Rainbow Bridge leads to another lofty
rock.
Phoenix Crust Pavilion, perched at the head of the rock, offers
views of the whole area.
The Yanjiang River flows through the valleys of the Binglu
Mountain and finally vanishes in the southeast at the horizon.
At sunset, the river appears as a golden ribbon round the green
jade of the Peach Blossom Cave scenic area.
The water in the river is clean and clear. It has not been
polluted by any industrial waste, thanks to the preservation
efforts of the local government.
Around the Peach Blossom cave are vast bushes and bamboos.
There are ruins of several ancient stone fortresses which were
once occupied by bandits.
Near the entrance to the sightseeing area and the road to Yong'an
proper, a car park, shops and restaurants are convenient for
visitors.
About 12 kilometres northwest of the city proper is the Linyin
Stone Forest, which is said to be second only to the Lunan Stone
Forest in Yunnan Province for its typical karst -- limestone
region -- topography.
It was not known to the outside world until 1983 when Bao
Haosheng, a professor at Nanjing University, discovered it when he
was conducting a geological survey.
In 1984, Bao twice studied the stone forest and found that it was
formed more than 50 million years ago, later than the formation of
the Lunan Stone Forest.
At only 3 square kilometres, the Linyin stone forest is much
smaller than that of Yunnan Province but no less fascinating.
It has more than 196 stone poles of various shapes, the highest
about 36 metres.
Legend says that a long, long time ago, an old couple named Ge
lived at the foot of the mountain.
The King Dragon who ruled a vast lake near the Dahu Mountain
seized their daughter and forced her to marry him.
Deeply grieved, the couple worked ceaselessly day and night,
trying to fill the lake with stones.
The terrified King Dragon released the girl and ran away with the
lake.
At that moment, a forest of stone originated where the lake had
been.
In fact, it was formed by crustal movement of the earth.
Tourists may well marvel at the work of nature after seeing the
grotesque shapes into which the elements have weathered the stones
and the number of rock poles and stalagmites in so small an area.
With a good imagination, poles covered with grass and flowers at
the top look like women wearing flowers on the coils of their
hair; others are nymphs, described in fairy tales; or Buddhas; or
immortals depicted in picture books or cartoons.
Some rocks resemble tortoises, lions or elephants.
Underground caves, such as the Lying Dragon Cave, feature coral
and crystalline flowers.
Winding paths among the rocks lead to the peak of the mountain.
The atmosphere is of calm beauty.
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_Date: 02/07/98_
_Author: Zhu Linyong_
_Copyright© by China Daily_

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'Mount Monkey' lures tourists
A 10-HECTARE special monkey preserve on Mount Emei, in Southwest
China's Sichuan Province opened to tourists on January 1.
Mount Emei, often referred to as a natural zoo, boasts 2,300 types
of animals, the best known of which are monkeys.
Famous for their intelligence, the monkeys on Mount Emei, which
enjoys level-two State protection, are popular with tourists.
To create a venue where people can interact with monkeys, the
Mount Emei Management Committee invested more than 1 million yuan
(US$120,627) to build the preserve, with pavilions, sightseeing
platforms and a 400-metre plank walkway.
Only 750 metres above sea level, the preserve is easily accessible
by normal public transport facilities.
In winter, the mountain often looks like a mysterious, white
wonderland as the ancient temples, trees and mountain ranges are
all covered with snow.
It starts snowing in late October or early November, and it does
not stop until April. Sometimes it even snows in May on the top of
the mountain.
Last year, it started snowing even earlier -- September 25.
Snow transforms Emei into a soft, glittery world of its own. The
winter conditions are such that the trees are transformed into
sculptures in ice.
Joining the province's Giant Buddha in Leshan, Mount Emei, one of
China's four sacred Buddhist mountains, was added to Unesco's List
of World Heritage Sites in December 1996.
Since then, an increasing number of tourists have visited the
mountain. Last year, tourism earned 160 million yuan (US$19
million) for the local government, up 49 per cent over the
previous year's earnings.
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_Date: 02/07/98_
_Author: Lin Meng_
_Copyright© by China Daily_

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Travel Notes (Page 5, Date: 02/07/98)
Travel agency
CHINA Merchants International Travel Co (CMITC), the first travel
agency in China to have passed the ISO 9001 standard, and its six
branches around the country, recently accepted two certificates
awarded by the Bureau Veritas Quality International in Britain and
the China Classification Society Quality Assurance Ltd.
ISO (International Standards for Quality Assurance) 9001 is a set
of universal standards for a quality assurance system that is
accepted around the world. It applies to industries involved in
the design and development, manufacturing, installation and
servicing of products or services.
In China, it is usually gained by manufacturing industries, not
the travel industry, because service, the product of the travel
industry, is harder to control and evaluate.
CMITC's being registered to the standard is "a breakthrough for
China's travel industry," according to Wei Xiaoan, a senior
official with China National Tourism Administration (CNTA). "It
sets a good example for our travel agencies to work towards the
ISO standard," he said at the news conference held recently by
CNTA and the State Bureau of Technical Supervision.
Road upgraded
WITH the arrival of 1998, the project of upgrading the road to the
famous Jiuzhaigou scenic area has almost been completed, according
to sources in the local tourism administration.
About 96 per cent of the 400-kilometre-long highway has been paved
with bitumen or cement. Once the ice and the snow begin to melt
after Spring Festival, the last 20-kilometre-long stretch into the
valley of Jiuzhaigou will be finished.
When it is done, the trip from Chengdu, the provincial capital of
Southwest China's Sichuan Province, to the natural wonder, which
has been listed as one of the World Natural Heritages by Unesco,
will take only eight hours, almost one day shorter than before.
In 1997, more than 200,000 tourists visited the nature reserve,
which is famed for its beautiful, clean lakes, heavy alpine
forests, spectacular waterfalls and distinctive Tibetan points of
interest. (CD News)
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_Date: 02/07/98_
_Author: _
_Copyright© by China Daily_

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What's on (Page 6, Date: 02/07/98)
CONCERTS
Naxi music -- Lijiang Dayan Naxi Ancient Music Association will
present a concert in Beijing Concert Hall.
Naxi music is said to be the oldest musical form in China. Its
major pieces, known as dong jin music, were used by Taoist priests
and Confucian scholars on religious ceremonies in the 13th
century. Several of the music scores have been passed down
unchanged from the Tang Dynasty (AD 618-960).
More than half of the association members are older than 60. Among
their ancient instruments, a pipa is said to be 400 years old.
Time: 7:30 pm, February 7 to 8
Place: Beijing Concert Hall, 1 Beixinhuajie, Xicheng District
Symphony concert -- The China National Symphony Orchestra will
present a concert of Chinese and foreign symphonic works including
"Overture for the China National Symphony Orchestra" (Wang Xilin),
"Erhu Concerto, the Great Wall Caprice" (Liu Wenjin) and "A London
Symphony" (Ralph Vaughan Williams).
Chen Chengxiong will conduct.
Time: 7:30 pm, February 13-14
Place: Beijing Concert Hall, 1 Beixinhuajie, Xicheng District
Chinese songs -- Sponsored by Beijing Concert Hall, famous Chinese
singers will give a concert of Chinese songs including "China,
Today Is Your Birthday," "I Love the Plums of Meiyuan Garden," "I
Love You," "At the Place Afar," "The Sun Rises on the Grassland,"
"Toast," "I Love the Blue Sea" and "Land of China."
Time: 7:30 pm, February 20-22
Place: Beijing Concert Hall, 1 Beixinhuajie, Xicheng District
Haydn's works -- Sponsored by Beijing Concert Hall and Beijing
Youth Daily, the Festival Orchestra of Beijing Concert Hall will
present a concert of Franz Joseph Haydn's symphonies.
Zheng Jian will conduct.
Time: 7:30 pm, February 21
Place: Beijing Concert Hall, 1 Beixinhuajie, Xicheng District
Film songs concert -- The Chorus of China National Symphony
Orchestra will present a concert of world famous film songs.
Wu Lingfen will conduct.
Time: 2 pm, February 22
Place: Beijing Concert Hall, 1 Beixinhuajie, Xicheng District
Piano concert -- Beijing Conservatory of Music will present a
concert of Chinese and foreign famous piano pieces.
Zhou Guangren will conduct.
Time: 2 pm, March 1
Place: Beijing Concert Hall, 1 Beixinhuajie, Xicheng District
STAGE
Sartre tragedy -- From February 12 on, the Central Experimental
Modern Drama Theatre will restage "Death without Burial" by Jean
Paul Sartre.
Sartre (1905-80) was a French novelist, playwright and exponent of
existentialism. He was awarded the Nobel Prize for Literature in
1964, but declined it.
"Death Without Burial" raises questions about the value of human
life, human dignity and the significance of death.
The play portrays a group of French Resistance fighters struggling
in Vichy Regime jail during World War II.
Young dramatist Zha Mingzhe directs a cast including Feng Xianzhen
and Han Tongsheng.
Time: 7:15 pm, February 12-16
Place: The Central Experimental Drama Theatre, A45 Mao'er Hutong,
Dongocheng District
Tel: 6403-1099
Beijing story -- Beijing People's Art Theatre's drama production
"Antiques" claims full houses since its debut last year. Now it is
being staged at the Capital Theatre.
With its Beijing flavour and strong cast, the play reproduces
scenes from the Beijing of 70 years ago.
The drama revolves around anecdotes of an antique shop in
Liulichang, one of the capital's most famous shopping streets with
a 200-year-old history.
Time: 7 pm, February 7
Place: Capital Theatre, 22 Wangfujing Dajie, Dongcheng District
Tel: 6525-0996, 6524-9847
Sound of Music -- "The Sound of Music" enjoyed a successful run
just before the Spring Festival. It will resume performances next
week.
Cheng Fangyuan is a celebrated singer with the Oriental Song and
Dance Ensemble. She has been seeking a breakthrough in her career,
and a year's study in Broadway made her appreciate the charm of
musicals.
The cast also includes her husband Wang Gang, Li Dandan, a singer
from the China National Opera and Ballet Theatre and actor Li
Xieping from the Central Experimental Modern Drama Theatre.
Popular songs such as "Do-Re-Mi," "The Lonely Goatherd," "How Can
Love Survive" and "Edelweiss" have touched the hearts of
Beijingers.
Director Niu Xinci and choreographer Jin Xing have tried to break
away from the influence of the movie and create a totally new
version of "The Sound of Music" to fit the spirit of the times.
Time: 7:15 pm, February 10-13
Place: Poly Plaza International Theatre, 14 Dongzhimen Nandajie,
Dongcheng District
Tel: 6495-1005, 6608-4160
French drama -- Samuel Beckett's classic "Waiting for Godot" is a
recent hit in the capital.
The 40-year-old absurdist drama, first staged in Paris, now makes
its China premiere.
"Waiting is the core of the play," said director Ren Ming,
"Everyone is waiting, for something clear or obscure. In this
case, it doesn't matter who Godot is, as waiting in itself assumes
various meanings. Godot is no more than a symbol."
Ren has left his own stamp on the work for the audience to think
over.
Time: 7 pm, February 7-8, 10-15
Place: Small theatre of Capital Theatre, 22 Wangfujing Dajie,
Dongcheng District
Tel: 6525-0996, 6525-0123
Knock -- A Chinese version of the classic French play "Knock" is
now being staged for capital audiences. The play stars one of
China's top actors, Jiang Wen, and famous actors Liu Wei and Cao
Li, and is directed by Wei Xiaoping.
"Knock" was written in 1923 by renowned French poet, novelist and
playwright Jules Romains, whose works had a great influence in
Europe. The play has been performed more than 1,400 times in
France, Austria and Germany. It has also been adapted for cinema
three times. The hero, Dr Knock, is a typical French satirical
figure.
Famous translator Guo Hong'an commented "Knock" is a biting comedy
as it makes audiences laugh, but also makes them think, as they
realize the tragedy behind the comedy.
The play satirizes the artifices of swindlers and the credulity of
the masses, and reveals the false essence of the proposition that
"thinking leads the world."
Time: 7 pm, February 10-20
Place: Haidian Theatre, Huangzhuang, Haidian District
Tel: 6235-9667, 6202-0011 ext 2341/2342
Fantastic drama -- China Children's Art Theatre's new production
"The Bluebird" will lead children into a delightful fairyland.
"The Bluebird," written by Belgian dramatist and Nobel
prize-winner Maurice Maeterlink in 1908, has been warmly welcomed
by audiences around the world. The Japanese Four Seasons Troupe
adapted it into a musical in 1994 to great acclaim.
The play is a work of symbolism. It tells the story of a brother
and sister, who see a witch in their dreams. The witch wants them
to find a bluebird for her sick daughter and gives them a diamond
hat.
The spirit of light leads them on the search through the Land of
Memory, but they cannot find the bluebird anywhere. The next
morning when they awake the grandmother next door comes to ask for
the sister's bird, which happens to be blue, for her sick
daughter. The sister sends the bird to the old woman's daughter
and she recovers. But when the daughter comes to thank her, she
accidentally lets the bird go and it flies away.
The bluebird is the symbol of happiness. The China Children's Art
Theatre hopes to give a concrete form to this symbol, because it
has only existed as an image on stage before. By staging the play,
the theatre hopes to enrich the cultural life of children in their
winter vacation.
Time: 7 pm, February 8-12
Place: Beijing Workers' Club, 7 Hufanglu, Xuanwu District
Tel: 6513-4120, 6513-4121
Puppet experiment -- The China Puppet Art Theatre's new production
"The Mermaid" is a hit in the capital.
An adaptation of Danish writer Hans Christian Anderson's fairy
tale, this drama tells a tragic love story known to children
around the world. A beautiful, kindhearted mermaid helps the
prince she loves obtain his felicity at the cost of her own
happiness and affection.
Unlike traditional puppet style, the puppet musical features
real-life actors and actresses performing on stage with the
puppets.
The puppeteers, clad entirely in black with only their eyes
visible, move around the stage, pulling and twisting the stick
puppets.
Director Rong Xiaomi, describes the play as an experiment with
traditional puppet drama.
She said she is trying to tell a foreign story with a Chinese
formula, which meant the puppet design, lighting and performance
styles had to be changed accordingly.
Time: 10:30 am, 3 pm, Saturdays, 10:30 am, Sundays until March
end.
Place: China Puppet Art Theatre, 1 Anhuaxili, Chaoyang District.
Tel: 6425-4798
Peek-in opera -- Located in an ornate former temple, painted and
draped in a manner fit for royalty, Zhengyici Theatre may be worth
a visit just for a look inside.
Better yet, stick around until the show gets rolling -- live
Peking Opera packaged in short programmes for foreign audiences.
Each excerpt includes an explanation in English.
You'll see at least one lively acrobatic or fighting scene. There
are snacks, tea and ice cream during the intermission.
Place: Zhengyici Theatre, 220 Xiheyan Dajie, Xuanwu District
(behind Hepingmen Roast Duck Restaurant)
Time: 7:15 pm, daily
Tel: 6303-6233, 6303-6234
Joyful jugglers -- The China Acrobatic Troupe is juggling, cycling
and tumbling every night at two separate venues.
The 46-year-old troupe, one of the best in the country, has toured
more than 60 countries and won many international competition
awards.
The company's repertoire includes tightrope walking, martial arts
and traditional Chinese magic tricks.
Time: 7:15 pm, daily
Place: Chaoyang Theatre, 36 Dongsanhuan Beilu, Chaoyang District
Tel: 6507-2421
Time: 7:15 pm, daily
Place: Beijing Universe Theatre (inside Dongcheng Children's
Palace), 10 Dongzhimen Nandajie, Dongcheng District
Tel: 6502-3984
Original opera -- The Liyuan Theatre at Qianmen Hotel is
presenting Peking Opera, original style. The theatre has revived
the ambiance of old Beijing by setting up Ming-style tables so
guests can sample snacks during performances.
The performers come from the Beijing Peking Opera Theatre.
Time: 7:30 pm, nightly
Place: Qianmen Hotel, 175 Yong'anlu, Xuanwu District
Tel: 6301-6688 8860
EXHIBITIONS
Ice sculpture and lantern exhibition -- The exhibition, which uses
3,000 cubic metres of ice, occupies 20,000 square metres of Beihai
Jingshan Park. The park has been divided into four different areas
of activity: the ice sculpture area, cartoon world, the Sichuan
lantern area and the flower exhibition area.
The ice sculpture area is situated at the north gate square. Here
a shelter, 20 meters high and 50 meters wide, encloses more than
10 groups of ice buildings depicting Chinese and overseas
architectural styles, along with 20 other figures. The
architectural sculptures include a 9-metre-high ice pagoda, a
4-metre-high dragon wall, a Muslim style manor, an ancient
European castle and a Chinese garden.
Children are expected to be drawn to the cartoon world. The
Sichuan lantern exhibition, located between the east and south
gates, features the best of Sichuan lanterns, including the
Peacock Princess as well as the Pine Tree and Crane.
Nearly 1,000 pots of flowers have been arranged to greet visitors
in the Qiwanglou Building at the south gate.
Time: Until February 11
Place: Beihai Jingshan Park,44 Jingshanxijie, Dongcheng District
Orchid show -- The orchid exhibition features 2,000 pots of 100
kinds of orchids from more than 10 provinces and cities. Lectures
on orchids are held during the exhibition, while the plants and
information pamphlets will be on sale.
Time: Until March 1
Place: Huifangyan, Zhongshan Park, 4 Zhonghua Lu, Dongcheng
District
Tulip exhibition -- Some of the flowers on display at the tulip
exhibition originate from the kingdom of tulips -- the
Netherlands. Dutch flower arranging masters will perform displays
of their skills during the exhibition. Visitors can buy tulips,
which are on sale, plant them and take part in the Family
Gardening Competition to be held in April.
Time: Until February 11
Place: Zhongshan Park, west side of Tiananmen, 4 Zhouhu Lu,
Dongcheng District
Children's painting -- More than 100 artworks, including oil
paintings, prints, gouaches and sketches, are displayed during the
second children's painting exhibition. On display are the most
recent works of 13 child painters, whose ages range from 6 to 10.
Their works have won gold, silver and bronze medals in
international competitions. The exhibition works will be auctioned
on site, while the money raised will be donated to the children of
the earthquake-stricken area in Hebei Province.
Time: Until February 10
Place: Exhibition Hall, Soong Ching Ling Children's Science and
Technological Centre, Yuyuantan Park, Haidian District
Telephone: 6857-5750
Photos on S. Africa -- Liang Xiuwei, a journalist of Beijing
Evening News, is showing his photo works on South Africa at the
China National Art Museum.
Chris Dlamini, South African ambassador to China, and more than
100 artists and cultural officials attended the opening ceremony
of his solo show "Prospects of South Africa" on February 3.
The 116 photographs on display are selected from 2,000 photos
taken by Liang during a survey trip in South Africa before the two
countries established diplomatic relations on January 1.
The exhibition was sponsored by the headoffice of the China Travel
Service and Beijing Journalists Association.
Time: 9 am-5 pm, February 7
Place: China National Art Museum, 1 Wusi Dajie, Dongcheng District
Tel: 6401-2252
Indian culture -- The Chilean Indian Culture Exhibition is being
held at the Beijing Working People's Cultural Palace until
February 8.
The exhibition features 190 objects from the Archaeological Museum
of Santiago in Chile, including mummies, totems, Easter objects
from Mapuche, and textile and headwear from South Chile. All these
exhibits bear witness to the astounding ancient civilized Indian
culture of Chile.
The event is sponsored by the Ministry of Culture, organized by
the China International Exhibition Agency and funded by the Nokia
Group Corporation.
For further information, please call 6403-1631 Huang Xiaogang.
Time: 9 am-5 pm, until February 8
Place: Beijing Working People's Cultural Palace, east side of
Tian'anmen Rostrum
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_Date: 02/07/98_
_Author: _
_Copyright© by China Daily_

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