Dingling, the  mausoleum of Emperor Zhuyijun of the Ming Dynasty and his two empresses Xiaoduan  and Xiaojing is located at the foot of Dayu Mountain. Lying 27 meters below the  surface and covering an area of 1195 square meters, the Underground Palace is  composed of 5 Chambers: the Front, the Middle, and the Rear Chambers, Left and  Right Annex Chambers. The Rear Chamber, 9.5 meters high, 30.1 meters long and  9.1 meters wide is the largest. In the Chamber, the coffin of Emperor Zhuyijun  is placed on the middle of the stone couch, with his two wives' coffins on each side. Over 3000 pieces of historical relics were unearthed from the Underground  Palace. Among them, the Gold Crown and the Phoenix Crown are the unique  treasures.

Peking duck, also known as Peking Roasted Duck or Beijing Kaoya, is a dish of great antiquity from Beijing that can trace back to the imperial era. Nowadays, Peking Duck had become one of the specialties of the capital and a national symbol of China, favored by tourists and diplomats alike. For instance, Henry Kissinger, the former Secretary of State of the United States, came to savor this cate, during his two visits to China in 1971 and in 1976. It has also been a favorite delicacy for various political leaders ranging from Cuban Fidel Castro to former German chancellor Helmut Kohl.

The delicacy is characterized by its crisp skin shining date-red in color and tender texture, with authentic versions serving mostly the skin and little meat, sliced in front of the diners by the cook. The hot Peking Roast Duck will be brought to the dining table by the chef where he will slice it into more than 100 thin flakes, each having its piece of crispy skin. The meat is often eaten with spring onion, cucumber and sweet bean sauce with pancake rolled around the fillings. Sometimes pickled radish is also inside, and other sauces can be used. The remaining duck with meat and bones can be cooked in three ways. The traditional way is to be cooked into a broth. The meat together with bones can also be stir-fried with sweet bean sauce, or rapidly sautéed and served with salt and Sichuan pepper.

Besides the traditional one, many restaurants offer an All Duck Banquet - various dishes cooked with the offal and juices of the duck, surrounding the main dish. It will be sure to give you satisfaction and enjoyment when dining.

Duck has been roasted in China since the Southern and Northern Dynasties(386-589). Up until the Southern Song Dynasty (1127-1279), ducks were roasted in the area around Jinling (ancient name for Nanjing). A variation of roast duck was prepared for the Emperor of China in the Yuan dynasty(1271-1368). The Peking Roast Duck that came to be associated with the term was fully developed during the later Ming dynasty when the rulers moved their capital city to Beijing from Jinling and by then, Peking Duck was one of the main dishes on imperial court menus and was highly regarded by emperors and other members of the ruling classes. By the Qianlong Period (1736–1796) of the Qing dynasty, the popularity of Peking Duck spread to the upper classes. The first restaurant specializing in Peking Duck, Bianyifang, was established in the Xianyukou, close to Qianmen of Beijing in 1416.

Preparation

Raising the duck

Newborn ducks are raised specially in a free range environment for the first 45 days of their lives, and force fed 4 times a day for the next 15–20 days, resulting in ducks that weigh 5–7 kg. The force-feeding of the ducks led to an alternate name for the animal, Peking Stuffed Duck. 

Seasoning the duck

A suitable fattened White Beijing Ducks are slaughtered, plucked, eviscerated and rinsed thoroughly with water. Air is pumped under the skin through the neck cavity to separate the skin from the fat. The duck is then plunged in boiling water for 1 to 5 minutes, then hung to dry. This will tighten the skin and help the duck to achieve its traditional crispy texture. The duck is then glazed with a layer of potentially spiced and flavored maltose syrup. A marinade of traditional flavorings, including soy sauce and five-spice powder, and more maltose, is then applied inside the body cavity. This will flavor the duck during the next step. The duck is then left to dry for between 24 hours and several days in a cool, dry place, which allows the skin to crisp while roasting.

Roasting the duck

Hitherto, there are two traditional schools of cuisine for the duck cooking, namely closed oven and hung oven.

Closed-oven style

Peking duck is originally roasted in a conventional closed oven, allowing the meat to be slowly cooked through the convection of heat within the oven. Controlling the fuel and the temperature is the main skill. In closed-oven style, duck meat is combined well with the fat under the skin, and therefore is juicy and tender.

Hung-oven style

The hung oven, also known as open oven, was developed in the imperial kitchens during the Qing Dynasty. It is designed to roast up to 20 ducks at the same time with an open fire fueled by fruit hardwood from peach or pear trees. The ducks are hung on hooks above the fire and roasted at a temperature of 270 °C (525 °F) for 30–40 minutes. While the ducks are roasting, the chef may use a pole to dangle each duck closer to the fire for 30-second intervals. By the means of hung oven, the fat is usually melted during the cooking process, so the skin is more crispy.

The initial technique has been perpetuated by very few restaurants among which the household name Bianyi Fang is the representative. The second method is relatively well-known and used with great success by the notable Quan Ju De Restaurant, first established in 1864, which won the China Renowned Trademark as well.

The Legend of Kungfu is a Live performance presented by China Heaven Creation International Performing Arts Co., Ltd. (CHC) -- China's leading performance art production company, every night at Red Theatre. A group of the best Kung Fu practitioners of China are collected and the best directors and designers of the country are invited by CHC.

The show is about storytelling that a little boy from a very poor family whose mother was unable to provide for him and decided to send her son to a temple to be a monk and learn kungfu. The diligent student monk was initiated into the temple, learning Buddhism and Kungfu. The theme of the story is full of trials and tribulation of being a monk and the worldly temptations through his monkhood. He had a hard time getting used to the strict discipline of the temple and could not restrain his natural desire to chase a young beauty, so he suffered great regret and losing his way to self-cultivation. He punished himself severely and finally came back full circle to be the temple, attaining enlightenment. He became interested in the unbelievable power of Kung Fu, in which he must face many obstacles both from this world and his own mind to overcome his fears.

The fusion of modern dance with Chinese traditional martial arts makes this performance unique and spectacular, presenting stunning Kung Fu skills, exquisite ballet, splendid acrobatics and wonderful music, along with brilliant stage scenery, acoustic and light effect. With no speaking of the actors, there is an electronic screen displaying the show's subtitles in English above the stage to keep you informed of the storyline. After the show, the audience can also take photos with the main actors.

The show made its first appearance on the Beijing stage in July 15th, 2004. Ever since it has received numerous awards and become a world-class spectacle known around the world. If you are an enthusiast of Chinese Kung Fu, who would like to explore the real Chinese martial arts and culture, you definitely should not miss this excellent show of the prestigious Chinese Kung Fu.

China has one of the longest histories of continuously recorded martial arts tradition in the world. The Chinese Kung Fu is popular terms with Chinese martial arts, tracing its origins back some 4000 years ago to self-defense needs, hunting activities and military training in ancient China. In the long course of development, the Kung fu's purpose from self-defense to health maintenance and finally as method of self-cultivation. Kung Fu requires of the practitioner a strict code of physical and mental discipline. A common saying concerning basic training in Chinese martial arts is as follows: Train both Internal and External. External training includes the hands, the eyes, the body and stances. Internal training includes the heart, the spirit, the mind, breathing and strength. In addition, philosophy, ethics and even medical practice are highly regarded by most Chinese martial arts, which provides insight into Chinese attitudes and culture.

The Great Mosque of Xian is nestled in the Huajue lane in Xian, Shaanxi Province. The Great Mosque of Xian is the biggest and most preserved complete Chinese existent mosque. First built at the Tianbao first year (742 years) during, it was rebuilt by Song, Yuan, Ming and Qing, and has formed present scales. The whole mosque has more than 12,000 square meters, the floor space more than 4,000 square meters, keeps the construction mostly in the Ming Dynasty style. So the Mosque here in Xi'an has much Chinese traditional touch in both its design and artistic outlook; besides the style peculiar to Islamic mosques, this Mosque also holds characteristics of Chinese pavilions with painted beams and engraved ridgepolesThe mosque has gradually become such a large and brilliant complex of the historical architecture. With manybuildings, platforms, pavilions and halls, it looks like very solemn and respectful.
The Great Mosque was built to honor the founding of Islam in China. The religion was brought to the country by an Arab ambassador to the Tang emperor in the 7th century, less than 20 years after the death of prophet Muhammad. Located in the heart of the Muslim Quarter, the mosque was visited by descendants of the Silk Road merchants who came to China from Persia, Central Asia and the Middle East. However, the number of Arab traders operating in China was relatively small. It was not until the 13th century, when Kublai Khan expanded the Chinese empire westward, that the large numbers of Muslims were forcibly resettled in China as soldiers and artisans. Although most of these Muslims maintained their cultural heritage, they gradually mingled with the Chinese, creating a distinct minority known as the “Hui people”.
The mosque is a walled complex of five courtyards, with the prayer hall located in the fourth courtyard. Each courtyard contains a central monument, such as a gate, and is lined with greenery as well as subsidiary buildings. The first courtyard, for instance, contains a Qing dynasty monumental gate, while the fourth courtyard houses the Phoenix Pavilion, a hexagonal gazebo. Many walls throughout the complex are filled with inscriptions of birds, plants, objects, and text, both in Chinese and Arabic. Stone steles record repairs to the mosque and feature calligraphic works.
Overall, the mosque's architecture combines a traditional Chinese architectural form with Islamic functionality. For example, whereas traditional Chinese buildings align along a north-south axis in accordance with, the mosque is directed west towards Mecca, while still conforming to the axes of the imperial city. Furthermore, calligraphy in both Chinese and Arabic writing appears throughout the complex, sometimes exhibiting a fusion of styles called, referring to Arabic text written in Chinese-influenced script. Some scholars also speculate that the three-story, octagonal pagoda in the third courtyard, called the Shengxinlou or “Examining the Heart Tower,” originally served as the mosque's minaret, used for the call to prayer.
The prayer hall is a monumentally sized timber building with a turquoise hip roof, painted(wooden brackets), a six-pillared portico, and five doors. It is raised upon a large stone platform lined with balustrades. The expansive prayer hall consists of three conjoined buildings, set one behind the other. Interior ornamentation is centered on the rearwall, which has wooden carvings of floral and calligraphic designs

In Chinese history from Ming Dynasty, each city had a bell tower and a drum tower. The bell was sounded at dawn and the drum at dusk each day in ancient time. Xian was not an exception. The Bell Tower and Drum Tower of Xi'an date back to the Ming dynasty (1368-1644). Atop the Bell Tower you will have a panoramic view of the Xian City; atop the Drum Tower you will have a bird's eye view of the Muslim Quarters.

The Drum Tower is located northwest of the Bell TowerXian across the Bell and Drum Tower Square. Both of them are called the 'sister buildings' or 'morning bell and dark drum'. In ancient China, especially from the Yuan Dynasty (1271-1368), the drums were used to signal the running of time and on occasion were used as an alarm in emergency situations.

The Drum Tower, located northwest of the Bell Tower, was originally built in 1380 during the early Ming Dynasty and renovated twice in Qing Dynasty. Drum Tower got its name because of the huge drum situated within the tower, which wasat sunset to indicate the end of the day and also used as an alarm in emergency situations. The Bell Tower was constructed in the panel structure with two storey posts. There is also a Drum Museum inside the Drum Tower, where there are a large variety of drums.

In modern times, the Drum Tower is not used as a timer any more, but there are some new attractions for visitors to enjoy. In the year of 1996, a new drum, covered by a whole piece of cowhide was given a place on the Tower. It is the biggest drum in China at present. What is more, visitors will enjoy musical performances inside it.

The Bell Tower, is a stately traditional building, that marks the geographical center of the ancient capital. From this important landmark extend East, South, West and North Streets, connecting the Tower to the East, South, West and North Gates of the City Wall of the Ming Dynasty.

The Bell Tower was constructed in 1384 during the early Ming Dynasty and it is one of the grandest in China. Structured by brick and timber, the Bell Tower was built to be as high as 40 meters with an occupation of 1,377 square meters. The Bell Tower is a masterpiece of Ming styled architectures with its three layers of eaves decorated with dark green glazed tiles and gold-plating on the roof. Gilded color paintings and beautiful engravings make the Bell Tower more stylish.

Today, Bell Tower can only be accessed from the entrance on Bei Dajie where visitors have to purchase their tickets. To the west of the Bell Tower is the Drum Tower. This is a smaller building, locateda busy street which is full of street traders and hawkers.marks the entrance to the city's Muslimisinteresting area to walk around and have a look. You will feel as if you are in a "city within a city" and the streets around this district leading to the Mosque are like a small village filled with people selling all kinds of things.

　　Xian (with history name as Changan), in the long history of China, there are altogether 13 dynasties built as capital. In which the peak dynasty Tang ( from 618 to 907) is like a colorful painting and a brilliant book, fully show the prosperous brilliance of Chinese ancient civilization. The Tang Dynasty Music and Dance Show is on behalf of the peak culture of the most prosperous Tang Dynasty.

　　The Tang Dynasty Music and Dance Show gathers all the best-doings of Dance and Music from previous history, with essence of culture from western religions and foreign exotics, full shows a greetings from hundreds of nations, fusions from multi-nations and peak at folk and custom. The dance and music in Tang dynasty is momentous, meanwhile the state is quite magnificent, concentrating poem songs with singing, drum and bell into lightening music and romantic dance. The melody is very high-pitched, the acting is quite smooth, and costume is quite splendorous, everything is ranked as the toppest. The Tang Dynasty Music and Dance Show depict the peak of prosperous and peaceful Dynasty Tang. We are dedicatedly expecting the performance, not only bring to your best enjoyment in visual and sound, but also a good memory to you of the brilliant and long Chinese history.

The Tang Dynasty Show

　　The Tang Dynasty Music and Dance Show is performed by the "Tang Dynasty Song & Dance Troupe", a branch of the "Shaanxi Provincial Song & Dance Troupe". This type of performance has been valued as a national art that reflects the glory and richness of the Tang Dynasty era.

　　The Tang Dynasty Music and Dance Show has its roots in folk fetes, when dances were first performed by people as part of rituals of prayer for a good harvest or a better life. Over thousands of years, the dances developed from a few simple postures or gestures to become delicate and artistic reaching a peak during the Tang Dynasty. The show presented today is a recreation of a traditional entertainment attributable to a great variety of historical records and relics. The Tang Dynasty Music and Dance Show has now become a classic entertainment that has been warmly appreciated by audiences running into hundreds of thousands for more than twenty years. The production has toured many cities in China as well as numerous foreign countries such as Japan, Russia, Korea, Singapore, Norway, Denmark, etc.

　　The show includes eight classical programs, namely the Melody of Longevity of the Emperor, White Ramie Cloth Costume Dance, Da Nuo Dance, Rainbow Skirt and the Feathered Coat Dance, Battling Dance of the King of Qin, Song of Spring Outing, Oriole Singing in Spring, and Ta Ge Dance. Among them, the Oriole Singing in Spring performed by the famous panpipe master Gao Ming is the peak.

The Tang Dynasty Show

　　In addition to appreciating the wonderful performance, you can also enjoy the delicious meals provided at the Tang Dynasty Palace.

The Oriental Pearl TV Tower, also known as the Oriental Pearl TV Tower, is a TV tower in Shanghai, China. Is located in Lujiazui, Pudong New Area, Shanghai, China, adjacent to the Huangpu River, and the Bund across the Yangtze River. Oriental Pearl TV Tower is Shanghai Modern Architectural Design (Group) Co., Ltd. Jiang Huan into the design. Construction started in 1991, completed in 1994, a total investment of 8.3 billion yuan. 467.9 meters high, in Asia, the world's third tower, behind Canada, Canada's National Tower (553.3 meters), and Russia's Ostankino Tower (540.1 meters), is one of Shanghai's landmarks.

It divided into day cruise and night cruise. Night cruise has become the most distinctive tourist project. You can see both banks of the Huangpu River on this cruise. The style of buildings along the bank are various, take 50-minute to relax and have a panoramic view of breathtaking modern skyscrapers and Chinese ancient quaint bridges under the reflection of colorful lights, which forms an awe-inspiring sight in front of our eyes. And you can explore the newly developed business district at Lujiazui.

The cruise will open from 11:00 am to 21:30 pm every day. 

Visitors can choose the following schedules: 11:00, 12:00, 13:00, 14:00, 14:30, 15:00, 15:30, 16:00, 16:30, 17:00, 18:00, 18:30, 18:45, 19:00, 19:15, 19:30, 19:45, 20:00, 20:15, 20:30, 20:45, 21:00, 21:15, 21:30 (Schedules will do some adjustment based on the season, time, water of level and other factors).

Ps: Ticket is free for children under 13 years old.

　　Chinese Acrobatics is one of the oldest performing arts. Its history can be traced back to Neolithic times. It is believed that acrobatics grew out of labor and self-defense skills, which people practiced and demonstrated during their leisure time. The early performance is "walking on three-meter-high stilts while juggling seven gaggers". Then it developed into an entire art formTogether with the developing economy, acrobatics is also evolving into a kind of performing art. It became well known worldwide while performances are presented along the Silk Road. In Europe and North America, Chinese acrobatic performances always attract large audiences.

　　Many acrobatic shows come from the art performance of living skills and labor skills. Acrobatic show has a history of over 2000 years in China. It is named as “Baixi” in Han dynasty, “sanle” in Sui and Tang Dynasty, named as Acrobatic after Tang and Song dynasty in order to differentiate from acts in other forms.

　　There are nine specialties in acrobatic.

　　Acrobatic pays lot of attentions on leg and waist training. Since ancient, Chinese acrobat focus on the position “top”. There are many “Stand on one’s head”, and “somersault” depicted in ancient fresco and earthenwares. For Chinese acrobatic, including actor of ancient show, he should has very deep Kung Fu foundation.

　　“Stable” out of “steep” while “move” is out of “stable” are both for showing a very quiet and accurate hard skill. Such as walking on the steel rod which require all actions for stable. The moving bench and ladder, one after another, but needs the man on the top find the stable from the move and it require a stable head, super skill, and hard training . It shows fully the super skill of our mankind conquering danger and difficulties.

　　“Unique” is out of the “usual”. From none to everything, it fully shows our mankind creating the world. Different from western magic, which focus on colorful stage property, Chinese magic only needs very simple property. From cuisine to fish and bird alive, a simple long sleeve gown can turn out everything. Or one somersault can turn into a firing bronze basin or another one for a fish bowl with water and fish.

　　Hard and soft Kung Fu combines. Kicking is mostly acted by women. The actor lies and kick thing including wine jar, colorful bowl, clock, tables, ladder, wooden pole, wooden plate, drum and bell,  from weightless umbrella to heavy living persons. Things kicked is rotating quickly, jumping back and forth. From the smooth vase to heavy wooden desk, everything is kicked so quickly only for image, not for picture.

　　Super power and Nimble dexterous somersault combines. According to history record, the seat for human pyramid is quite amazing. Previously history record, 18 men seats on one man while 6 men seats on one man both appeared. Over a thousand jin including eight men seats on one man fully show the program well. The traditional “ Pulling the bow” and “playing with knife” are both heavy-loaded hard Kung Fu.

　　There are a great amount of living utensils and labor instruments used in the acrobatic show including bowl, plate, altar, handleless cup, rod, whip, fork, pole, ladder, desk, chair, umbrella and cap. Those normal things is changeable in the hands of acrobatic, fully exhibited a close tie between labor life with Chinese acrobatic show.

　　Simple arts and body arts combine. “playing fun with altar”, “rotating plate” combine both Porcelain painting with traditional Chinese acrobatic. In the kicking show, the colorful umbrella and colorful peddle the same offer feeling of ancient aesthetics.

　　Chinese acrobatic is quite accommodated in different style and various places. From market, theatre, lane, room with place of hundreds of people to only one, Chinese acrobatic is fit for any places with thousands years of history.

　　Chinese acrobatic has an intimate heritage tradition. One generation after another generation, regional, blood-related and sister arts,  previous acrobats are always inherited and passed around.