China Popular Itineraries |
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Basically, from Wuhan to Chongqing, there are 3 cultures in the ancient time involved in today's Yangtze River cruise area. From Wuhan to Badong, including Xiling Gorge, nowadays under the jurisdiction of Hubei Province, it was the area influenced by Chu culture. As far back as to the periods of the Spring and Autumn and the Warring States more than 3000 years ago, Hubei belonged to the state of Chu which lasted for more than 800 years. During this period of time, the Chu people developed the Chu culture and gained great achievements which were far more advanced than other Chinese local cultures that that time.
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Shibao village |
In ancient time, the Wu Gorge and Qutang Gorge area are basically belonged to Ba ethnic group. Like Maya culture in American continent, it is a myth how the Ba State disappeared, running into the high mountains and vanished in the caves, leaving the suspended coffins and mysterious plank road along the high cliffs. But they are definitely still there, not like aliens flying away. So we still see many of the remains in the culture and daily life of the people living in the region.
From Fengjie all the way to Chongqing and beyond, it was most dominated by Shu culture, a big area and prosperous region, which, together with Chu culture, finally drove Ba culture in between declined, and merged with each other.
Each culture was represented by a state, or a kingdom. (So, you can see that China's pro v incial borders have a history of thousands of years.), but they interchanged, and merged. Plus the inter-influence with the culture in the north of China, originated from China's another mother river -- the Yellow Rive r. Although it is not convenient in communication and transportation, people along the Yangtze gorges never lack cultures. Such culture re-generation and cultural exchange created rich poems, essays full of China's literature in many centuries, and are a indispensable part of Chinese culture. A great talent -- Qu Yuan, and a great beauty -- Wang Zhaojun (do not forget Wang is the last name), are the most noted representatives. People there are still very proud of them.
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Wang Zhaojun | This Webmaster is one of the descendents of Chu State and Chu People. I knew their stories from childhood. I could recite the poems about our mother river before goin g to primary school. Children could not learn hard and recite the poems would be scolded and even physically punished.
Down from Hubei Province to Shanghai, including Anhui Province and Jiangsu Province, basically this part of the country belonged to Wu Culture. In Chinese, this "Wu" is different from the one in "Wu Gorge". Wu is China's most beautiful area -- mild weather, fertilized fields dotted with lakes, abundant in rice and fish, dedicated and smart people with excellent craftsmanship... What you can see when you cruise all the way down is that the elegant houses, intricated classical gardens, and rich and colorful arts and crafts, calligraphy and paintings ...
There are actually no definitely geographical boarder lines between these cultures (note: we did not mention the Tibetan cultures etc. along the Yangtze's uncruisable part beyond Chongqing). And, as a traveler, you might not have much enough time to explore the details. So, we will show you with the pict ures, better than any words. Anyway, culture is too big a topic.
The region of the Yangtze Gorge is populated by a large number of Han and Tujia people of Chongqing City and Hubei Province with various unique customs and folkways. It is also a place for the Chinese sturgeon, a national treasure of China to propagate and the birthplace of the dragon boat race, which is so popular in China, as well as in the other countries and regions of Asia. What's more, it is a base of fruit production. Everywhere in the region you may enjoy yourself with the colorful folkways and customs characteristic of the ethnical flavor.
In Fengjie you may happen to see the exciting scene of the commemoration of the Eight-Element Battle Formation designed by Zhuge Liang during the period of the Three Kingdoms. The commemoration is a traditional folk-activity of Kuizhou. On the seventh day of the first moon every year men and women. old and young, all in their best, gather on the beach, which is the former site of Zhuge Liang's Eight-Element Battle Formation, beating gongs and drums, singing and dancing heartily. Women pick up colorful fine pebbles and string them up with colored silk thread and then wear the string on their hairpins or around the necks of the children to ensure good luck.
In Badong you will see a world of baskets carried on the back. Since the towns and walled cities of the gorge region are mostly situated on riverside mountains, the streets are oblique or even steep. The citizens can only get about on foot. In a street or on a path you may come across men and women, old and young, who carry a basket or a wooden rack with goods or a little child in it. While walking they have a stick to support themselves and while resting they have the stick to support the baskets. The scene is really of exotic flavor.
In a Tujia dwelling place, you may get some idea of the unique wedding and funeral customs. As to the former the most unique is that before she is married off, a bride has to force a weep for half a month until she is carried on the back and put into a sedan chair. The funeral custom, on the other hand, is characterized by the funeral dance: a big drum is set before the coffin and a man beats the drum while others dance. The man leads a chorus and the others sing loudly in an unconstrained manner.
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Zigui Dragon Boating |
In Zigui you see the rousing scene of the dragon boat race. On the fifth day of the fifth moon every year, the people of Chu Township hold a memorial ceremony to express their great reverence for Qu Yuan, a great poet of Chu State. At the time hundreds of boats compete with one another , water spraying, oars paddling and drums and gongs resounding to the skies, making a sonorous symphony.
Besides, you may go to the Xiangxi River to look for the minnows which are cream-colored and transparent in the shape of an umbrella. to Shuikou Township in Wushan to taste the delicious noodles as thin as hair, to the surging Yangtze River to view and admire the powerful-looking Chinese sturgeons, a national treasure of China. and to orange and tangerine orchards by the river to enjoy the fragrance and refresh your poetic inspiration... |
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