China ExperienceChina ExperienceBPE 230 / EST 230

Course Outline

General survey of the history of China from ancient societies through the current time

Cultural diversities / evolutionEcological / early civil engineering projectsNatural resourcesTechnological inventions / advancementPlants and vegetations

Satisfy SUNY General Education Requirement: The Other World Civilization

Format

LectureInterpretative tours

Guided tours for the class onlyDiscussions

Group discussions after tours Interactions with students in our partner schools Short essays

Seminar / presentation Prepare a presentation (powerpoint) and ready to

present in a seminar for a future class or to ESF or department

Suggested Reading Materials

Historical Wonders of Sanxingdui, http://www.china.org.cn/e-sanxingdui/index.htm

Wintle, Justin (2002). The Rough Guide History of China. London: Rough Guides Ltd

Zhang, Kan; Hu Changshu (2006). World Heritage in China. Guangzhou: The Press of South China University of Technology

Jane Portal and Qingbo Duan, The First Emperor: China's Terra Cotta Army, British Museum Press, 2007

Debainne-Francfort, Corrine (1999). The Search for Ancient China. Discoveries. New York: Harry N. Abrams

Ho; Bronson (2004). Splendors of China's Forbidden City. London: Merrell Publishers

Major itinerary items in 2010

Dujiangyan (irrigation project 200BC)Qingcheng mountain (a couple of hours hiking and

look out for plants and vegetation)Panda breading stationSanxingdui (exhibit of a lost Chengdu plains

civilization)Journey out of Shu (train ride if weather permitting) Terracotta warriorsShaanxi History MuseumForbidden CityGreat Wall (look out for plants and vegetation)

Estimated Course Cost: $3000

VisaFlights to and back from ChinaFlights in ChinaTransportation in ChinaLodging (minimum double occupancy)

Before you leave

Register for BPE 230 (section 1, #53204)Obtain a valid passport (see next bullet for more

details)Trip Preparation and Completing ESF forms at h

ttp://www.esf.edu/international/ESFIntlProgram.htm Pay deposit ($1500) by February 25, 2010

(Bursar’s office)March 31, 2010: Filled in visa application form,

photo and passport due to Dr. LiuApril 9, 2010: final payment ($1500) due.

Map of China

Dates

May 14 – June 1, 2010May 14 leave Syracuse for BeijingMay 15 Arriving Chengdu via BeijingHost Sichuan University (Chuanda)May 16 Dujiangyang and Qingchen Mountain May 17 Chuanda Museum, Wuhouci, local activityMay 18 FreeMay 19 Panda Breading Station and SanxingduiMay 20 Leaving for Xian (Train)

Dates

May 21 Arriving Xian (Host: Shanxi University of Science and Technology)

May 22 Local activitiesMay 23 Terracotta WarriorsMay 24 Shanxi Museum, Old city (Ancient Capital

of China)May 25 Leave for Beijing

Dates

May 25/6 Arriving Beijing (Host: Beijing University of Chemical Technology)

May 27 Forbidden City, Tian An Men Square, Summer Palace

May 28 Ming Mausoleum, Water reservior May 29 Great WallMay 30 FreeMay 31 BUCTJune 1 Leave Beijing and Arriving Syracuse

Dujiangyan in Chengdu

Dujiangyan An irrigation infra-structure built

in 256 BC during the Warring States Period of China by the Kindom of Qin.

It is located in the Min River, a tributary of the Yangtze River, near Chengdu, the capital of Sichuan Province.

It is still in use today and still irrigates over 5,300 square kilometers of land in the region.

Fish Mouth Levee of Dujiangyan

Yuzui or Fish Mouth Levee, named for its conical head that is said to resemble the mouth of a fish, is the key part of Li Bing’s construction. It is an artificial levee that divides the water into inner and outer streams. The inner stream carries approximately 40%, rising to 60% during flood, of the river’s flow into the irrigation system whilst that outer stream drains away the rest, flushing out much of the silt and sediment .

Flying Sand Weir of Dujiangyan

Feishayan or Flying Sand Weir has a 200 m-wide opening that connects the inner and outer streams. This ensures against flooding by allowing the natural swirling flow of the water to drain out excess water from the inner to the outer stream. A modern reinforced concrete weir has replaced Li Bing’s original weighted bamboo baskets

Bottle-neck Channel of Dujiangyan

Baopingkou or Bottle-Neck Channel, which Li Bing gouged through the mountain, is the final part of the system.

The channel distributes the water to the farmlands to the west, whilst the narrow entrance, that gives it its name, works as a check gate, creating the whirlpool flow that carries away the excess water over Flying Sand Fence, to ensure against flooding.

Sanxingdui

The Sanxingdui site, located in the city of Guanghan, 40 km from Chengdu, is recognized as one of the most important ancient remains in the world for its vast size, lengthy period and enriched cultural contents.

The Sanxingdui site was the capital of Shu state about over 3000 years ago, which is one of the largest and well-preserved known cities of the time in China.

The Sanxingdui finds are exciting, but they remain enigmatic. No texts have been found, nor is there any mention of this culture in the records of other countries. Analysis of lead and other elements in the bronzes indicates sources similar to those of other cultures along the lower reaches of the Yangtze River. At this point, however, the unique culture that produced these artifacts remains a mystery.

Ancient bronze casting in Sanxingdui

The gold scepter and wide bronze mask in Sanxingdui

Wu Hou Shrine

Wu Hou Shrine of Chengdu,initially built in 223AD,now covers 140,000 square meters.It consists of King Liu Bei’s mausoleum, halls memorizing Zhuge Liang and other ministers, generals of Kingdom Shu.

In 1961,The State council chose it as a leading preservation entity of cultural relics and a museum was set up in 1984.With its rich cultural accumulation, the shrine has been attracting the public over the past 1780 years and thus has gained a reputation as A Sacred Place of the Three Kingdoms.

Wu Hou Shrine

The Hall of Zhuge Liang enshrines the statues of Zhuge Liang,his son and his grandson.

Zhuge Liang (181---234AD) Three sincere visits from Liu Bei brought the young strategist to Liu's aid. Being the prime minister---the true backbone---of a weaker state, he has been respected and admired as model of wisdom and loyalty.

Wu Hou Shrine

Zhuge Liang was conferred the title "Wu Xiang Hou" (hou is similar to marguis) when he was alive and "Zhong Wu" after his death, "Wu Hou" is

the shortened title for Zhuge Liang.

Panda Reserve

The Giant Panda is a mammal native to central-western and south western China.

Though belonging to the order Carnivora, the Giant Panda has a diet which is 99% bamboo.

The Giant Panda lives in a few mountain ranges in central China, mainly in Sichuan. Due to farming, forest clearing, and other development, the Giant Panda has been driven out of the lowland areas where it once lived.

Chengdu Research Base of Giant Panda Breeding

It is a titled National Conservation Education Base.

It is the first endangered species conservation institution in China to have a conservation education department and dedicated full-time educators, providing regular conservation programming.

It is the first giant panda breeding institution in China to cooperate with field education experts from abroad, as well as the first to provide education in both urban and remote rural areas.

Lovely Giant Pandas

Qingcheng Mountain

Qingcheng Mountain is a mountain in Dujiangyan. It is amongst the most important centres of Taoism in China. As a centre of the Daoist religion it became host to many temples. The mountain has 36 peaks.

Qingcheng Mountain

Qingcheng Mountain

Because it is surrounded by countless peaks and densely covered by ancient trees whose branches reaching the sky, the mountain was named "Mt. Qingcheng" (Green Town in Chinese).

Qingcheng Mountain

Tour in China

Sichuan Province

Shanxi Province

Beijing

Emperor Qin Shihuang's Mausoleum and the Terra-cotta Warriors and Horses Museum

The Terracotta Army are the Terra Cotta Warriors and Horses of Qin Shi Huang, the First Emperor of the Qin Dynasty (221 - 206, B.C.)

It is located 36 kilometers east of Xi'an, capital of

Shanxi Province.

The museum covers an area of 16,300 square meters, divided into three sections: No. 1 Pit, No. 2 Pit, and No. 3 Pit respectively.

Emperor Qin Shihuang's Mausoleum and the Terra-cotta Warriors and Horses Museum

NO.1 Pit is the largest, first opened to the public on China's National Day, 1979. There are columns of soldiers at the front, followed by war chariots at the back.

Emperor Qin Shihuang's Mausoleum and the Terra-cotta Warriors and Horses Museum

The figures vary in height (183–195 cm - 6ft–6ft 5in), according to their role, the tallest being the generals. The figures include strong warriors, chariots, horses, officials, acrobats, strongmen, and musicians.

Emperor Qin Shihuang's Mausoleum and the Terra-cotta Warriors and Horses Museum

No. 2 Pit is 20 meters northeast of No. 1 Pit. It contained over a thousand warriors and 90 chariots of wood.

No. 3 Pit, 25 meters northwest of No. 1 Pit. It looked like to be the command center of the armed forces. It went on display in 1989, with 68 warriors, a war chariot and four horses. Altogether over 7,000 pottery soldiers, horses, chariots, and even weapons have been unearthed from these pits.

Tour in China

Sichuan Province

Shanxi Province

Beijing

Summer Palace

The Summer Palace or Yihe yuan, located in Beijing, is a masterpiece of Chinese landscape garden design.

The natural landscape of hills and open water is combined with artificial features such as pavilions, halls, palaces, temples and bridges to form a harmonious ensemble of outstanding aesthetic value.

Constructed in the Jin Dynasty (1115-1234), by the time of the Qing Dynasty (1644-1911), it had become a luxurious royal garden providing royal families with rest and entertainment.

main attractions in Summer Palace

Longevity Hill & Kunming Lake

The Summer Palace is mainly dominated by Longevity Hill (60 meters high) and the Kunming Lake. It covers an expanse of 2.9 square kilometers, three quarters of which is water. The central Kunming Lake covering 2.2 square kilometers was entirely man made and the excavated soil was used to build Longevity Hill. In the Summer Palace, one finds a variety of palaces, gardens, and other classical-style architectural structures.

main attractions in Summer Palace

Hall of Benevolence and Longevity ( Renshou dian) Hall of Happiness and Longevity (Leshou Tang)

main attractions in Summer Palace

The Seventeen-Arch Bridge & Long Corridor

main attractions in Summer Palace

Bronze Qilin statue inside the Summer Palace The Marble boat on the grounds of the Summer Palace.

Forbidden City

Or called "Purple Gold Palace", it is the best-kept and largest palace complexes in the world.

The emperors of two dynasties, 24 emperors of the Ming (1368 - 1644) and Qing (1644 -1911) dynasties, lived here with their families and hundreds of court ladies and palace eunuchs. From their throne in the Forbidden City they governed the country by holding court meetings with their ministers, issuing imperial orders and initiating military expeditions.

In 1924. the Forbidden City was renamed as the Palace Museum and opened to the general public. There are over a million rare and valuable objects in the Museum.

The Forbidden City

The Forbidden City covers 72 ha. It is a rectangle 961 metres (3,150 ft) from north to south and 753 metres (2,470 ft) from east to west.

It consists of 980 surviving buildings with 8,707 bays of rooms. The Forbidden City was designed to be the centre of the ancient, walled city of Beijing.

Traditionally, the Forbidden City is divided into two parts. The Outer Court or Front Court includes the southern sections, and was used for ceremonial purposes.

The Inner court or Back Palace includes the northern sections, and was the residence of the Emperor and his family, and was used for day-to-day affairs of state.

The Outer Court of Forbidden City

The Hall of Supreme Harmony, is the largest, and rises some 30 metres (98 ft) above the level of the surrounding square. It is the ceremonial centre of imperial power, and the largest surviving wooden structure in China.

The Outer Court of Forbidden City

The Hall of Central Harmony (foreground) and the Hall of Preserving Harmony

The Inner court of Forbidden City

the Palace of Heavenly Purity

The throne in the Palace of Heavenly Purity

Bronze Sculptures

Turtle statue

Dragon

Enamel object and jade

Qiasi falang chanzhilian long'er ping Brush Rest of Five Playing Children

Paintings

Life along the Bian River at the Pure Brightness Festival (Qingming shanghe tujuan)

The Great Wall of China

The Great Wall is a series of stone and earthen fortifications in northern China, built, rebuilt, and maintained between the 5th century BC and the 16th century to protect the northern borders of the Chinese Empire from Xiongnu attacks during various successive dynasties.

The Great Wall of China

The Great Wall stretches from Shanhaiguan in the east to Lop Nur in the west, along an arc that roughly delineates the southern edge of Inner Mongolia. The most comprehensive archaeological survey, using advanced technologies, has recently concluded that the entire Great Wall, with all of its branches, stretches for 8,851.8 km This is made up of 6,259.6 km of sections of actual wall, 359.7 km of trenches and 2,232.5 km of natural defensive barriers such as hills and rivers.

Thank you!