15 hebeispecial FR I DAY, AUGUST 10, 2012 CHINA DAILY City walls invoke a vivid story from ancient past By LIU XIANG several thousand. Only 170 kilometers from from Mongolians during the [email protected] Although wars and battles Beijing, Xuanhua — which Ming Dynasty. are now far distant memo- literally means educating the Although the city walls Most cities and towns along ries even for locals, Xuan- (nomadic) people in the north have lost their power to the Great Wall have their ori- hua’s well-protected ancient by publicizing (the central defend against military gins as important military bas- city walls and magnificent empire’s) benevolent rules — attacks after 600 years of es to defend against nomadic gate towers still tell a vivid has a history written in iron weathering, they are still the tribes from the north, and the story from the remote past and blood, conspiracy and most significant symbol of ancient city of Xuanhua in to tourists from home and rebellion. Xuanhua. Hebei province is no excep- abroad. According to Tang Dynasty Their magnificence and tion. Xuanhua’s city walls are (AD 618-907) records, Xua- beauty can be compared with One of the nine strongest among the most famous in nhua was once called Xion- today’s city walls in Xi’an and fortresses along the Great China. Walls from different gwu City, which was built to Nanjing. LIU XIANG / CHINA DAILY Wall, its garrison had more dynasties, even back to the strengthen the border by the A number of other historical The Jade Emperor Pavilion was built in 1377 to worship the highest god in the Taoist cosmology. than 100,000 soldiers during Yan Kingdom in the Warring notoriously cruel military structures also remain intact the Ming Dynasty (1358- States Period (475-221BC), governor An Lushan, who today. 1644), compared with a played a part in its status a was actually preparing for a The Qingyuan Tower — civilian population of only stronghold. revolt against the Tang gov- or the Bell Tower — built in ernment. 1482, is a distinctive build- Tourists finding sedate Large-scale renovation of ing with multiple eaves and Xuanhua was completed in roofs. the early Ming Dynasty when It enjoys a reputation equal prince and general Zhu Hui to another ancient landmark, respite in Yuxian county stationed a military force to the Yellow Crane Tower in fend off an expected inva- Wuhan, capital of Hubei sion of Mongolians from the province. By LIU XIANG cuts found in China done with of historical relics among all north. Ins i d e t h e t owe r, a [email protected] scissors and paper of a single counties in China. Zhu expanded Xuanhua 2.5-meter-tall, 5-ton bell can color, the creations in Yuxian It has 1,610 known cultural into a large fortress of high still ring with the same power After intensive days tour- are made with special knives relic sites, nine of them given walls with a total length of it did 500 years ago. ing the grandeur of Beijing’s and are multi-colored. State-level protection and 30 12,120 meters and seven Just 200 meters from Qin- imperial palaces and gardens, The special technique is on the provincial-level list. gates. gyuan is the drum tower increasing numbers of tour- called yin cutting, which uses The most famous sites are As a result, the fortress called Zhenshuo, which has ists take a relaxing trip to a knives to nick small patterns, the Jade Emperor Pavilion, was claimed by the govern- a history of more than 560 county 250 km west of the leaving behind more paper to Nan’an Temple Pagoda and ment “as solid as iron and years. national capital to experi- paint on. Shijia Temple. Featuring styles steel”. The 25-meter-high Zhens- ence another kind of cultural Images found in the paper- of different dynasties, they LIU XIANG / CHINA DAILY It survived the most fre- huo Tower houses a big drum charm. cuts are mainly Chinese opera represent the range of ancient The Qingyuan Tower built in 1482 is the landmark of Xuanhua. quent and severe attacks long used to report the time In Yuxian county, Hebei figures and auspicious images China’s main belief systems of day. province, the attraction is such as birds, flowers and — Confucianism, Buddhism A large plaque over the more sedate — the grassroots insects. and Taoism. north face of the Zhenshuo art of paper-cutting. A master Yuxian paper-cut Besides the historical lega- Tower has inscriptions indi- The history of Yuxian artist was Wang Laoshang cies, Yuxian has fascinating cating the city shelters the paper-cutting stretches back (1890-1951), who created natural wonders. national capital Beijing. more than 200 years. The thousands of window flowers On top of a mountain It was written by renowned traditional art form is mostly during a career that spanned 2,158 meters tall, a marshy Emperor Qianlong in the used in window decorations, almost 40 years. grassland covering 36 sq km. Qing Dynasty (1644-1911) so a finished work is also In 2006, Yuxian paper cut- It is called “hanging grass- when he visited Xuanhua on called a window flower. ting was included in China’s land” due to the height and his tour of north China. The earliest window flow- first list of State-level Intangi- flatness. Also on a straight line with ers were tianpiliang — cut- ble Cultural Heritage. In 2009, In the south of grassland, Qingyuan and Zhenshuo is tings and paintings on mica UNESCO added it to its own mountains tower with steep the well-preserved Gongji sheets. list, the Intangible Cultural cliffs and deep gullies. A for- Tower, a two-story build- Today’s window flower art Heritage of Humanity. est covering more than 500 ing that serves as Xuanhua’s has inherited the essence of In addition to this original hectares is in the north offers southern city gate. tianpiliang and learned from art, tourists can also visit the a home to animals such as Outside the city there are the embroidery patterns used many cultural and histori- pheasants, foxes and wild also a number of compelling on shoes, pouches and pillows cal legacies as well as natural goats. historical sites including Liao that are also popular in the wonders in Yuxian county. The average temperature of Dynasty (916-1125) tombs county. With a recorded history dat- the grassland is 15C, with fresh in the northwestern village Also absorbing color fea- ing back to the Shang Dynasty air and clear weather. Different of Xiabali featuring frescos tures from window flowers in (1600-1046 BC), Yuxian is types of plants, rare rocks, ice with bright colors that today other places, Yuxian paper- an ancient city known as the caves and running water make LIU XIANG / CHINA DAILY still look like they were freshly cutting evolved its unique style. “museum in the ground”. It it a welcome summer respite A recently unearthed fresco in a Liao Dynasty (916-1125) tomb looks almost freshly painted. painted. Unlike most other paper- ranks second in the number away from urban life. Guangfu: 2,600 years old, birthplace of tai chi By LIU XIANG notable martial art. for 18 years and finally learned Locals say kids begin when Guangfu’s attraction is not (1368-1644) are intact. because it lies at the center [email protected] Tai chi is a traditional Chi- its essence. Then he created the they start to walk and the mar- limited to tai chi enthusiasts. Inside the walls, the of the Yongnian Marsh, the nese therapeutic exercise com- Yang-style tai chi chuan, which tial art is still popular among It has its own allure for those 1.5-square-kilometer ancient fourth-largest wetland in The ancient town of bining kung fu and the qigong won him the title of “invincible the elderly, some of them 99 who want to explore the local town has four streets and eight Hebei province. Over the Guangfu, in Yongnian county, breathing exercise, practiced by Yang”. years old. details of China’s ancient his- lanes lined by old, traditional centuries, a complete drain- Hebei province might be as people of all ages. Another famous master, A number of its tai chi mas- tory. structures. age and water management unknown to the outside world Famous Yang-style and Wu Yuxiang, traveled to South ters have made great efforts to The town is said to have In the east, Hongji Bridge system has taken form. as millions of other settle- Wu-style tai chi, now listed as China to learn local martial promote tai chi and its culture been founded in the Spring has retained its original Sui Its Xibazha water gate ments in China except for a national intangible cultural arts and created Wu-style tai abroad. and Autumn Period (476- Dynasty design, but its great project built during the singular fact — it is the birth- heritage, were both created in chi chuan. Since 1991, Guangfu has 770BC). age was recently dwarfed by Ming and Qing dynasties place of tai chi. Guangfu. About 80 percent of the 300 held the Yongnian Interna- It was once the capital of animal fossils from the Ordo- still operates well. It is also Now 2,600 years old, According to locals, Yang million tai chi practitioners tional Tai Chi Chuan Festi- the Xia Kingdom during the vician period more than 400 the pivotal part of an irriga- Guangfu remains vibrant, Luchan, an influential tai chi worldwide follow either Yang val that attracts the attention chaotic years of the later Sui million years ago discovered tion system that nourishes attracting adherents who master in the late Qing Dynasty or Wu-style tai chi.