Qikou Trading Post on the Yellow River – Shanxi Province
On the bare banks of the Yellow River, deep in the middle of nowhere in Shanxi Province, lies what's left of the once mighty Qikou zhen trading post.
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Staying in Cave dwellings at Lijiashan Village, near Qikou zhen
A few kilometres up the road from Qikou zhen is Lijiashan cave dwelling village, home to the extended Li family.
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Yellow River Rock Paintings, or the worst £45 I’ve spent on a day trip.
The Yellow River Rock Paintings are a series of amazing rock art slightly up river from QiKouZhen, or so we were told.
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In Photos: Wutaishan Scenic Area, Shanxi, China
Wutai Shan (or Five Plateau Mountain) refers to Buddhism’s sacred northern mountain range. The area is considered the earthly abode of Manjusri, the Bodhisattva of Wisdom. It’s a popular pilgrimage destination for Buddhists and Chinese tourists alike.
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Visitor Tips to Wutai Mountain Scenic Area
Made a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2009, WuTai Shan is the most holy of the four Buddhist mountains in China.
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Picnicking in the worlds most polluted cities – Lishi, Shanxi Province
16 of the world’s 20 most polluted cities are in China. The area between Lishi and Linfen in Shanxi Province is known as the world’s most polluted area.
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Less common tips for first-time visitors to China
There seems to be a lot of outdated advice on the web, mostly about not putting chopsticks in rice, so here are a few tips you may not see in the guide book.
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Simple guide to choosing a VPN for China (and elsewhere!)
One of the problems with being in China is that the internet is heavily controlled to filter out information that might be detrimental to the harmonious society. A simple VPN can help bypass the Great Firewall of China.
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Faking it: Simple Phonetic Mandarin Chinese for Tourists
If you’re only coming for a couple of weeks it’s a bit unlikely you’ll learn Mandarin so here’s a very rough guide to making yourself understood, beyond just pointing at things.
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Hanging Monastery at Datong in China
The most famous attraction in Datong is the 51,000 Buddhist statues at the Yúngāng Grottoes, but by far my favourite is Xuánkōng Sì, the Hanging Monastery, 75m up the side of Mount Heng.
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