Category: Asia
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Hokkien Temples of Guangdong: a marvelous encounter
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I love traditional architecture. It is one of the greatest driving motivations of my travels, and I love to look at every small, intricate detail. Therefore, you can imagine that my first encounter with a Hokkien style temple in the Southern Chinese city of Shantou (Guangdong Province) left me awe-struck…
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Dikengyuan: sunken courtyard houses from the Loess Plateau
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The Loess Plateau, which extends to the north of China through the provinces of Shanxi, Shaanxi, Gansu, Ningxia and Henan, boasts one of the most interesting vernacular architectural typologies of the country: the Yaodong (窑洞), or “cave houses”.It is estimated that over 30 million people still live in Yaodong dwellings in northern China. This…
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Exploring Guizhou ethnic minorities: Wudong Miao Village
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During my trip to visit the ethnic minorities of Guizhou Province, I made my final stop in the Miao ethnic village of Wudong (乌东村 – Wū dōng cūn). The village is located in the Qiandongnan Miao and Dong Autonomous Prefecture (黔东南 苗族 侗族 自治州), 30 km from Xijiang Qianhu (西江 千户 苗) and…
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Exploring Guizhou ethnic minorities: Queniao Miao Village
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During my trip to visit the ethnic minority cultures of Guizhou Province, I made a stop in the remote Miao village of Queniao (雀鸟村 – Què niǎo cūn). Queniao is located in Qiandongnan Miao and Dong Autonomous Prefecture (黔东南 苗族 侗族 自治州), 50 km from Xijiang Qianhu (西江 千户 苗) and 75 km…
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Exploring Guizhou ethnic minorities: Getou Miao Village
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The third stop along my journey through Leishan county in Guizhou Provinc to visit some remote authentic Miao villages brought me to Getou (格头村 – Gé tóu cūn). The village is nested between the slopes of the Leigong Mountain at a height of 1030 m above sea level. The village…
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Exploring Guizhou ethnic minorities: Datang Miao Village
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During my trip to Guizhou to explore the Miao Ethnic Minority culture, I had the luck to visit the Miao village of Datang (大塘 苗寨 – Dà táng miáo zhài). Datang is located in Qiandongnan Miao and Dong Autonomous Prefecture (黔东南 苗族 侗族 自治州), 30 km from Xijiang Qianhu (西江 千户 苗) and…
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Into the Miao World: a day in Xijiang Qianhu
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Xijiang Qianhu is located in the valley of Leigong Mountain National Park, around 25 km from Kaili, and is composed by 10 villages spread over 50 square kilometers.The cultural center though revolves around the village of Xijiang, which is the most accessible and which in the recent years gained a lot of…
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A photographic journal of a day in Tongli Water Town
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The Jiangsu countryside that stretches between the cities of Suzhou and Shanghai is home to a many small, charming water towns, many of which are located along the Grand Imperial Canal (an artificial canal that connected Hangzhou to Beijing with the aim of bringing supplies of goods and food to the Imperial…
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Chinese gardens and historic water streets: the highlights of Suzhou
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Described by the Chinese as the “Venice of the East,” Suzhou is considered one of the most beautiful and picturesque cities in all of China. The city is a source of national pride thanks to its wonderful gardens and its ancient waterways, which attract multitudes of visitors from all over…
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Postcards from Lili Water Town
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Thanks to a business trip in the area, I had the chance to spend half a day in the little Lili Water Town ( 黎里古镇 Lí lǐ gǔzhèn), just outside the city of Suzhou.The small town sprawls out around its central canal, hosting some of the most picturesque traditional whitewashed buildings…