Traveling through China -- Selected Excellent Tourist Commentaries on China (II)

Author: Compiled by the National Tourism Administration
Publisher:
Publish Date: 1998-06-01
Features: China is one of the cradles of world civilization, with a long history and splendid culture, which has long been recorded in the annals of human civilization. From the Zhoukoudian "Peking Man" site dating back 500,000 years to the Great Wall built over 2,000 years ago, and from the Beijing Forbidden City and Suzhou Gardens of the Ming and Qing dynasties, 19 cultural and natural heritage sites have been inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List. Among these 19 world heritage sites, historical relics and monuments account for a significant proportion, as they are the carriers of a long history and splendid culture, serving as tangible evidence of ancient civilizations. Some say that historical relics and monuments themselves are books that depict the passage of time, recording many historical stories on their surfaces. The famous Russian writer Gogol once wrote, "Architecture is also the world's almanac. When songs and legends fall silent, it still speaks." In China, there is an old saying, "To see old objects is like meeting old friends." This vivid representation of historical relics and monuments cannot be replaced by many beautiful poems. Historical relics and monuments often transcend oceans, reaching distant lands. The Tang Dynasty monk Jianzhen overcame numerous difficulties to cross the seas and spread friendship and culture in Japan, leaving behind many Tang Dynasty-era relics and monuments there. When people visit the Tōdai-ji Temple in Nara, Japan, and see its ancient buildings over 1,000 years old and the portrait of Master Jianzhen, they seem to be transported back to the Tang Dynasty environment.