The Ancient Town of Lijiang

The ancient town of Lijiang stands at an elevation of 2,400 metres in north-western Yunnan Province. It is characterized by many narrow waterways, cobblestone streets, canals, trees and old houses with small shops and cozy guesthouses.

The Naxi ethnic minority at a festival group dance in the ancient town of Lijiang. In the background are the Yulong (Jade Dragon) Snow Mountains.

Take a walk away from the main tourist draws, enter narrow streets and climb steep steps up the hill, for a glimpse of the real Lijiang.

If you get lost, follow a stream and you will find yourself in Sifang Square in the centre of the old town.

Here, there are numerous small restaurants serving simple Naxi and Han dishes at bargain prices. There are also many tea shops selling Yunnan tea and some will let you taste the flavour before you buy.

It is cold from dusk till dawn, even in the summer, so it is best to wear something warm. The local people use melted ice water for drinking. You can choose bottled water, which is not so cold.

The Naxi people forbid anyone from throwing rubbish or pouring water into the streams and harming the trees. Also, when visiting the local people, do not sit on the threshold of the homes.

Lijiang's picture-perfect place is Black Dragon Pool. It offers breathtaking views of ponds, pavilions, bridges and the Yulong (Jade Dragon) Snow Mountain in the background.

The Dongba Culture Museum near the Yuquan Park is a great place to admire the famous hieroglyphs and other ritual articles of the Naxis.

Many hotels and inns offer bikes for hire. Within an hour or two, you can cycle out of Lijiang and make your way through traditional Naxi villages that are not on the tourist trail. You will not find any tourist facilities here: no bars, restaurants or shops, just family units living in communities working on land.

About 7 kilometres from Lijiang lies the secluded Suhe Village. Leather processing, bamboo wares and educational facilities that date back to ancient times make it an interesting stop.

The Yulong Snow Mountain is located 35 kilometres from Lijiang and the fastest way to get there is by taxi. From there, grab a chairlift to a height of 4,506 metres to the mountains. Or, you can walk through the forests and reach Yunshanping (Fir Flatland) or Maoniuping (Yak Flatland) from where you can take fantastic pictures.

These two places are famed as the sites where young Naxi lovers sang and danced before committing suicide over parental objections to their relationship. Such tragedies, which peaked in the Qing Dynasty (1644-1911), seldom happen anymore.

The Dongba Park near the Yufeng Temple on the southern slope of the Yulong Snow Mountain is also worth a visit. Its architecture conforms to Naxi mythology and Dongba shamans often perform various rituals here.

Lashihai Lake, 8 kilometres west of Lijiang, has emerged as a nature reserve for some 30,000 birds of 57 species. From the serene alpine lake, you can trace several streams to their origin. For example, the Meiquan Stream originates in the Zimei Pool whose crystal-clear waters can be viewed 6 metres deep.

There are buses in Lijiang going to Lugu Lake, some 200 kilometres away. You can live with a local Mosuo family there and get a glimpse of the interesting customs of their matriarchal society.

Changji Hui Autonomous Prefecture

Administrative Division: four counties (Hutubi, Manas, Qitai, Jimsar); one autonomous county (Mori Kazak Autonomous County); two county-level cities (Changji, Fukang)

Location: Situated in the center of Xinjiang, Changji Hui Autonomous Prefecture is bounded on the east by Urumqi and Hami in neighborhood of Turpan in the south, while Mongolia lies to the northeast of the prefecture.

History: China's central government of the day extended its sphere of influence to Changji with the establishment of the Protectorate of the West Region (Xiyu Duhufu) in 60BC during the Western Han Dynasty (206BC-24AD). In 1884, a province was set up to administrate Xinjiang, and the Changji region belonged to Dihua Fu.

Physical Features: The prefecture lies at the foot of the Tianshan Mountains on the southeastern edge of the immense desert in the Junggar Basin. The terrain in which Changji is situated inclines to the south and is part of the hinterland of Asia.

Climatic Features: Basking in a continental climate, the prefecture has characteristically dry weather with great temperature variations between day and night. To the south, there are the obvious climatic features of the mountains, while to the north there is the typical climate of a dry desert. The average annual temperature is 6.8℃ (44.2℉). The transitional spring and autumn seasons between summer and winter, are short.

When to Go: Summer and autumn are the best seasons in which to visit Changji. By avoiding the burning sun at noon, the summer in Changji can be refreshing.

Local Highlights: Hua'er refers to the most popular folk songs of the Hui people. These are native to the area around Ningxia, Gansu and Qinghai province and later included Changji. The irregularly held folk song festivals attract the participation of many local singers.

Corban Festival and Ramadan Festival are the festivals for the Uygur, Kazak, Hui and many other ethnic minorities who are followers of Islam.

Special Local Products: Melons, hops, grapes, Fernle mushrooms, roast lamb, roast whole sheep, hand-made yellow noodle.

Ili, Xinjiang, China

Lying at the north foot of the Tianshan Mountain, Ili Kazak Autonomous Prefecture is in the west of Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, bounded on the northeast by Russia and Mongolia, on the west by Kazakhstan.

Physical Features:

Ili is located in the heart of Central Asia. The Tianshan Mountains, the Altai Mountains, the Poluokenu Mountains, the Junggar Basin and the Monglkvre-Tekes Basin make up the main landforms of Ili, along with the Ili River, the Erqis River and their valleys.

Climatic Features:

The prefecture enjoys a cool, temperate, semi-arid, continental climate. Owing to the vast expanse of land, there are also microclimate features in different regions. Generally, Ili's summers are short and the winters, long. The temperature varies greatly between day and night. The temperature in spring rises rapidly but unstably, while the autumn temperatures drop rapidly.

When to Go:

Summer and autumn are the best time in Ili. The pastures are verdant. Melons and fruits are ripe. Notable is the sunset in Ili River. It is the favorite of many photographers.

Special Local Products: lavender and black currant.

Scenic Spots is one of the most beautiful scenic spots in Xinjiang. The terrain is steep and wildlife ranges up and down the gorge.

Sayram Lake: is the largest and highest alpine lake in Xinjiang. Surrounded by the vast verdant grassland, it is a stunning attraction definitely worth visiting.

Nalati Grassland: is one of the four largest alpine meadows in the world.

Kanas Lake: is a mysterious lake, attracting numerous visitors, not only for its enthralling scenery and clear water, but also for the enchanting legend about the monster in the lake.

Tourist Tips:

1. Yining Airport is only 5 kilometers (3 miles) from downtown Gulja City, operating flights to Urumqi and Kashgar.

2. Kazak is the largest ethnic minority of Ili, and the Kazaks are hospitable. Visitors should be sure to see their traditional food and costumes.

China publishes white paper on Xinjiang

China publishes white paper on Xinjiang

• Source: Xinhua
• [15:37 September 21 2009]
• Comments

The Chinese government Monday published a white paper (Development and Progress in Xinjiang ) on the development and progress in northwest China's Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region, stressing national unification, ethnic unity, social stability are the "lifeblood" for the region's development and progress.

The paper, released by the State Council Information Office, reviewed the profound changes that have taken place in the past 60 years in Xinjiang, which accounts for about one sixth of the country's land territory.

It also slammed the "East Turkistan" forces for seriously disrupting Xinjiang's development and progress by trumpeting separatism and plotting and organizing a number of bloody incidents of terror and violence.

The 52-page document is divided into seven sections: Swift Economic Development; Remarkable Improvement in People's Lives; Steady Development of Social Programs; Preservation of Ethnic Cultures; Upholding Ethnic Equality and Unity; Protecting Citizens' Rights of Freedom of Religious Belief; and Safeguarding National Unity and Social Stability.

The great development and progress "should be attributed to the concerted efforts by all peoples of Xinjiang under the banner of solidarity of all ethnic groups, as well as to the success of China's policies on ethnic minorities," it said.

Since the first century B.C., Xinjiang, historically the passage for land transport and civilizational contact between Asia and Europe, has been an important part of China, and played a significant role in the construction and development of a unitary multiethnic country, it said.

Prior to the founding ceremony of the People's Republic of China on Oct. 1, 1949, Xinjiang witnessed its peaceful liberation. Peoples of Xinjiang, who had undergone great sufferings together with the people in other parts of the country, became the masters of the state, it said.

Since 1949, particularly after China's reform and opening-up in the late 1970s, Xinjiang has entered an era of rapid economic and social progress, with the local residents enjoying the most tangible benefits, according to the paper.

The local GDP in 2008 stood at 420.3 billion yuan, which is 86.4 times higher than that of 1952, three years before the establishment of the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region, up 8.3 percent on average annually, it said.

In 2008, the per-capita net income of farmers in Xinjiang was 3,503 yuan, which is 28 times more than that of 1978, while the per-capita disposable income of urban residents reached 11,432 yuan, which is 35 times more than that of 1978, it said.

The great economic achievements are the results of concerted efforts by all peoples of Xinjiang, and of support from the central government and the entire nation.

From 1950 to 2008, the central government invested 386.23 billion yuan in Xinjiang, accounting for 25.7 percent of the total investment in the region, it said.

Huge progress was also made in areas including education, science, arts, health and medical services, employment, social security, as well as the preservation of ethnic cultures, according to the paper.

In Xinjiang, citizens of every ethnic group enjoy the rights prescribed by the Constitution and laws, including freedom of religious belief, and rights to vote and stand for election, it said.

According to the Constitution and laws, they also enjoy the rights to equally administer state affairs, to receive education, to use and develop their own spoken and written languages, and to preserve and advance the traditional culture of their own peoples, according to the paper.

The number of Xinjiang's cadres from minority ethnic groups was 46,000 in 1955. It shot up to 363,000 in 2008, accounting for 51.25 percent of the total number of cadres in Xinjiang, it said.

Most people of Xinjiang's 10 major ethnic minority groups, with a total population of over 11.3 million, believe in Islam now, it said.

The number of Islamic mosques has soared from 2,000 in the early days of the reform and opening-up drive to 24,300 now, and the body of clergy from 3,000 to over 28,000, according to the paper.

"All these achievements would have been impossible for Xinjiang without national unification, social stability, or ethnic unity," the paper said.

However, for years, the "East Turkistan" forces in and outside Xinjiang have been trumpeting national separatism, and plotted and organized a number of bloody incidents of terror and violence, seriously jeopardizing national unification, social stability and ethnic unity, thus seriously disrupting Xinjiang's development and progress, it said.

"The 'East Turkistan' forces pose a severe threat to the development and stability of Xinjiang," the paper said.

The "East Turkistan" forces have seriously violated the basic human rights to life and development of all the peoples of Xinjiang, seriously interrupted the region's economic development, and pose a threat to regional security and stability, it said.

According to incomplete statistics, from 1990 to 2001, the "East Turkistan" forces both inside and outside China created more than 200 bloody incidents of terror and violence in Xinjiang, by means of explosions, assassinations, poisoning, arson, attacking, riots and assaults, it said.

As a result, 162 citizens, including people of various ethnicities, cadres at the grassroots level and religious personnel, lost their lives, and over 440 were wounded, according to the paper.

In 2002, they again organized several bloody incidents of terror and violence in Xinjiang. The most recent "July 5" riot in Urumqi caused huge losses in lives and property of the people of various ethnic groups, it said.

By July 17, 2009, 197 people died (most being innocent victims) and over 1,700 were injured, with 331 shops and 1,325 motor vehicles destroyed or burned, and many public facilities were damaged, figures from the paper showed.

"Ethnic unity is a blessing for all peoples, while separatism would be disastrous," it said.

"It has become clearer for the people of all ethnic groups in Xinjiang that national unification, ethnic unity, social stability, plus the coexistence and development in harmony of all peoples who share weal and woe are the lifeblood for the region's development and progress," the paper said.

Top official of China's Xinjiang stresses development to ensure stability

Top official of China's Xinjiang stresses development to ensure stability

A top official of northwest China's Xinjiang said Tuesday the problems in the autonomous region, which has been scarred by a deadly riot, should be resolved by faster and scientific development.

Wang Lequan, secretary of Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Regional Committee of the Communist Party of China made the remarks at a conference celebrating the 60th anniversary of the founding of the People's Republic of China.

"In an economically under-developed region like Xinjiang, we must speed up economic development, shorten the gap between the region and coastal provinces, and ensure faster growth and better livelihood of people than neighboring countries," he said.

"Only by doing so can we beef up people's confidence and determination in construction of socialism with Chinese characteristic and in achieving unity and prosperous development of all ethnic groups," he said.

The far west autonomous region borders Russia, Mongolia, India, Pakistan, Afghanistan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan. Its capital Urumqi was rocked by a riot on July 5, in which 197 people were killed.

Hundreds of people were stabbed by hypodermic syringes or needles in Urumqi in August and early this month, which triggered mass public anger.

As Xinjiang still faces a grave stability task, Wang noted, faster development is "the best reply to the 'three evil forces' of terrorism, separatism and extremism".

Wang stressed development of agriculture, as Xinjiang is an agricultural and stockbreeding region. He also talked about exploitation and processing of petroleum and natural gas in the resource-rich area.

"Xinjiang is the road pass linking China with central Asia and Europe," he said, noting that the region should give full play to its geographical advantage, opening up international trade.

Wang vowed to ensure and improve people's livelihood by improving educational condition, creating more jobs, encouraging population control and relocating people to better houses.

Looking into the future, the official believed that stability is the premise and guarantee of development.

"Without stability, we could do nothing," he said. "Development is our paramount goal, while stability is our chief responsibility."

My pets in Brunei

The World Is Not Against Me

The World Is Not Against Me

by Amanda K.

“If we look at the world with a love of life, the world will reveal its beauty to us.” -Daisaku Ikeda

My late days at work are stressful, and my commute home usually allows me to relax and unwind. On this particular day, the sky opened up and torrential rain was falling when my stop came on the bus.

Of course I brought my umbrella, but the wind was making the rain hit me no matter which way I held it. It’s about an eight city block walk to my apartment from the stop I got off at, and I grumbled for a good while in my head about having to walk in the rain. I put the music on my iPod louder in my ears as I shuffled home as quickly as possible.

But about halfway through my walk home, it occurred to me to listen to the rain. I turned my iPod off and tuned in. Suddenly, everything around me was calming.

I could see the trees reflected in the puddles, shining brilliantly in the glare of car headlights. The air smelled pure and was easy to breathe into my lungs. I smiled and slowed my pace to really take it all in. My pants were getting soaked, but I didn’t even notice. It felt great to pay attention to the world instead of walking through it as fast as possible.

I connected with everyone everywhere walking home in the rain right then—felt sorrow for people who had no home to get warm in, and felt joy for everyone who was safe inside with their families. It was an amazing feeling and I’ll never forget it.

Once I stopped looking at the world as being against me and let it show me its serenity, my walk could have been an hour and I would not have cared.

Mande is a 24-year-old banker living in Bronx, NY. She is an avid reader, sometimes writer, and full-time thinker. You can reach her via e-mail at the.mande@gmail.com or follow her on Twitter @themande.

Fall

Do Happy: Log Changes

Autumn Leaves“The range of what we think and do is limited by what we fail to notice.” ~R.D.Laing


Have you ever noticed a new business on your route to work, only to later learn it’s been there for weeks?

Somehow in the hustle and bustle of your morning routine you missed an obvious change to your environment. It happens—and often on a much smaller scale.

As we do what we always do, we tend to focus on things we always see, and, as a result, think the way we always think. Even if you’re the most interesting person in the universe, your world will start to feel stale and dull if you lose sight of what’s in front of you.

There’s a whole lot of change to notice and appreciate, even if you’ve never left your hometown.

New leaves on a tree. A new chill in the air. New neighbors. New excitement at your local playground. New businesses, and billboards, and new solutions to problems. A new bounce in your mother’s step. New energy in your office. New passion within your friends. New perspectives on things that didn’t even change.

Open your eyes just a little wider. You may notice a new layer of beauty in a routine that stays the same.

Do happy. It’s something you’re due.

Choose Your Area

What is Sociology?

What is Sociology?

Sociology is a branch of the social sciences that uses systematic methods of empirical investigation and critical analysis to develop and refine a body of knowledge about human social structure and activity, sometimes with the goal of applying such knowledge to the pursuit of government policies designed to benefit the general social welfare. Its subject matter ranges from the micro level to the macro level. Microsociology involves the study of people in face-to-face interactions. Macrosociology involves the study of widespread social processes.

Sociology is a broad discipline in terms of both methodology and subject matter. Its traditional focuses have included social relations, social stratification, social interaction, culture and deviance, and its approaches have included both qualitative and quantitative research techniques. As much of what humans do fits under the category of social structure or social activity, sociology has gradually expanded its focus to such far-flung subjects as the study of economic activity, health disparities, and even the role of social activity in the creation of scientific knowledge.[1] The range of social scientific methods has also been broadly expanded. The "cultural turn" of the 1970s and 1980s brought more humanistic interpretive approaches to the study of culture in sociology. Conversely, the same decades saw the rise of new mathematically rigorous approaches, such as social network analysis.

The social world is changing. Some argue it is growing; others say it is shrinking.[2] The important point to grasp is: society does not remain unchanged over time. As will be discussed in more detail below, sociology has its roots in significant societal changes (e.g., the industrial revolution, the creation of empires, and the age of enlightenment of scientific reasoning). Early practitioners developed the discipline as an attempt to understand societal changes.

Some early sociological theorists (e.g., Marx, Weber, and Durkheim) were disturbed by the social processes they believed to be driving the change, such as the quest for solidarity, the attainment of social goals, and the rise and fall of classes, to name a few examples. The founders of sociology were some of the earliest individuals to employ what C. Wright Mills (a prominent mid-20th century American sociologist) labeled the sociological imagination: the ability to situate personal troubles within an informed framework of social issues.[3] Mills proposed that:

"What people need... is a quality of mind that will help them to use information and to develop reason in order to achieve lucid summations of what is going on in the world and of what may be happening within themselves. The sociological imagination enables its possessor to understand the larger historical scene in terms of its meaning for the inner life and the external career of a variety of individuals."[3]

As Mills saw it, the sociological imagination could help individuals cope with the social world by helping them to step outside of their personal, self-centric view of the world. In employing the sociological imagination, people are able to see the events and social structures that influence behavior, attitudes, and culture.

The sociological imagination goes beyond armchair sociology or common sense. Many people believe they understand the world and the events taking place within it, even though they have not actually engaged in a systematic attempt to understanding the social world, as sociologists do. Humans like to attribute causes to events and attempt to understand what is taking place around them.[4] This is why individuals have been using religious ceremonies for centuries to invoke the will of the gods - because they believed the gods controlled certain elements of the natural world (e.g., the weather). Just as sacrificing two goats to ensure the safe operation of a Boeing 757 (and propitiate Akash Bhairab, the Hindu sky god) is an attempt to influence the natural world without first trying to understand how it works,[5] armchair sociology is an attempt to understand how the social world works without employing scientific methods.

It would be inaccurate to say sociologists never sit around (even sometimes in comfy armchairs) trying to figure out how the world works. But induction is just a first step in understanding the social world. In order to test their theories, sociologists get up from their armchairs and enter the social world. They gather data and evaluate their theories in light of the data they collect (a.k.a. deduction). Sociologists do not just propose theories about how the social world works. Sociologists test their theories about how the world works using the scientific method.

Sociologists, like all humans, have values, beliefs, and even pre-conceived notions of what they might find in doing their research. But, as Peter Berger, a well-known sociologist, has argued, what distinguishes the sociologist from non-scientific researchers is that "[the] sociologist tries to see what is there. He may have hopes or fears concerning what he may find. But he will try to see, regardless of his hopes or fears. It is thus an act of pure perception..."[6]

Sociology, then, is an attempt to understand the social world by situating social events in their corresponding environment (i.e., social structure, culture, history) and trying to understand social phenomena by collecting and analyzing empirical data.

New Subway line to accelerate Beijing life

A new subway line will start operation in Beijing just before China's National Day on October 1. But the exact date remains unannounced.

With a total length of 28.2 kilometers, the Subway Line 4 runs through the city from the northwest to the south.

It will help relieve the pressure of old tube lines by offering an alternative access point to some of the most crowded stations such as XIDAN, which is the center of many shopping malls and is also a rising financial centre.

The ceiling of XIDAN Station is designed to represent copper coins.

The new line will also for the first time service many other key places of the city where traffic is not so efficient. For example, it will shuttle people to Beijing's IT centre ZHONGGUANCUN, which is known for its enduring traffic jams. A subway station will also be located inside the Beijing South Railway Station, allowing riders to take the tube right after getting off the train.

Apart from the convenience brought by Line 4, each station also provides a pleasant and diverse visual experience to travel weary commuters.

The Beijing Zoo Station is decorated with pandas.

This station's ceiling is full of abstract balloons and its walls are covered in gorgeous cartoon frescos. The Beijing Zoo station is targeted towards childrens' taste as much as the zoo itself.

In comparison to this liveliness, the area of YUANMINGYUAN Park is designed to show the gravity of history. The relief sculpture depicts the relics in the park, with the years of when it was constructed, ruined, and burnt.

The peeling stone may look a bit abrupt in this clear and modern environment, but the contrast seems to remind us that no matter how fast-paced, how fancy our life is now, roots should never be forgotten.