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Hebei province
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Hebei, somewhat dominated by the neighbours, Beijing and Tianjin, that it encompasses, is a large province with a population of around 66 million. Literally translated as "north of the river", Hebei, derives its name from the Yellow River (Huang he) that stretches deep into China, far to the south.
There are a number of sights in the north that can cause delight. One is a beautiful stretch of China's most famous sight, the Great Wall, whose western end runs in to the sea near to the city of Shanhaiguan. The beaches around the Qinhuangdao area are also interesting for their history, this being the summer retreat of the highest echelons of the Communist Party. |
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Shijiazhuang| A mere five hours southwest of Beijing by modern train, Shijiazhuang was a tiny village until the railway links, that spread from the cold, political north into the prosperous, commercial south, wound their networks through the city at the start of the twentieth century. The city now has a population of around eight and a half million, most of whom seem to either work on the railtracks, in the military schools or in the numerous factories. It is the military presence that leaves the city with its most interesting features, a highly modern international hospital and a Martyr's Museum. The Bethune International Peace Hospital, that was first set up in 1937 in the Shanxi-Chahaer-Hebei military area, was moved to Shijiazhuang in 1948. Dr. Bethune himself, was buried in the second feature, the Revolutionary Martyr's Museum, a park to the west of town. ...... |
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| Qinhuangdao| Qinhuangdao, literally Qin Emperor's Island, was named after an emperor of the Qin Dynasty (221-206 BC), who came to this area looking to discover pills of longevity. History has witnessed the huge development of this place from a tiny fishing village into one of the biggest ports in northern China. The area was opened as a seaport in 1898, mainly for foreign shipping and the city has not looked back. Bordering the Bohai Sea, Qinhuangdao has been infiltrated by large scale industrialisation, a shame for tourism, since now the cities two main beaches are fairly polluted, and sights are limited. The main reason to visit the city, is to catch transport on to either Shanhaiguan or Beidaihe....... |
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| Chengde| It was not just the temperature, however, that drew Kangxi here in the late sixteenth century. With his troops in tow, he passed through the region on the way to the hunting grounds in Mulan, and the peaceful calm of the region appealed to his imperial sensibilities. In 1703, he began the construction of a summer palace, that gradually grew into plans for 36 constructions (temples, palaces, pagodas etc.). A wise ruler, Kangxi perceived the usefulness of the region as a place to entertain emissaries from all over China, especially from the more troublesome regions to the north and northeast. Many of the constructions were later built with this in mind, either in the form of replicas of minority architecture from around the country, such as the "Tibetan Sumero Temple inspired" Puning si, or with obvious naming policies, such as the deviously hopeful Temple for Distant Security....... |
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