A must do when in China is to go out to Xi’an which is in the Shaanxi province and be blown away by the sight of the Terracotta Soldiers. At the moment China Tours are doing great deals on a one day tour to see this fascinating piece of history which you shouldn’t miss in your trip to China. There is so much to see and so much to learn in regards to this location that one has to see it for themselves rather than looking up pictures in textbooks and the internet.  You can easily access Xi’an flights from Beijing at great prices or even catch a train to get to this exquisite location.

For years there were always rumours about there being terracotta figurines of some sort as tiles and pottery have been dugged up but it wasn’t until 1974 when some local farmers discovered this rumour to be true. It was found approximately 1.6 kilometres away from the Qin Emperors tomb which is located at Lintong. With this find, archaeologists flocked to this site to see what else could be discovered. In 1975 the museum opened up for all to see the biggest terracotta find in China, which covers the size of 16,300 square metres. The site is made up of three sections which are known as pits, they are made up of different soldiers and horses in each one. All up there are up to 7,000 terracotta figurines to see and be amazed by.

What you will see will be life sized soldiers assembled in battle formations and every soldier is unique and has their very own facial characteristics, which is amazing. Each arm and leg, torso and head were made separately and then assembled together. Also with the discovery of the soldiers, horses and chariots, bronze weaponry was also discovered which are made up of swords, spears, arrow heads, crossbows and dagger-axes. Considering these weapons were buried for roughly 2,000 years they are still in perfect condition, even the edges are still sharp.

This area is now a major tourist destination and is very accessible from the airport. There are also shuttles from Lishan Garden to the Terracotta Warriors, which are in fact for free. In 2010 it was declared the site to be known as Emperor Qin Shi Huang’s Mausoleum Site Park which also includes smaller areas being discovered in relation to the pottery figurines. Lishan Garden should also be a part of the list to see whilst you are there. One can see the grave mound of the Qin Tomb, subordinate tombs and two museums at the same time. It is predicted that one can see the Terracotta site within four hours but it would be better off to spend the whole day and definitely include Lishan Gardens, would hate to think of missing out on anything.

The Terracotta Soldiers should definitely be in the top five sights to see and experience when planning a trip to China. This is one of the greatest discoveries in the 20th century and everyone should go experience this great location. Enriched with so much history of the Qin Dynasty and the fascinating individualistic soldiers one cannot say no.

Tucked high in trees and sometimes prancing on the ground high in the Qin Ling Mountains of Shaanxi Province the Chinese golden snub-nosed monkey makes its home. This particular monkey is one of China’s cutes and most sought after monkeys. However, it is not usually hunted down by photographers hungry for images of China’s diverse wildlife, but for its bones which are believed to have healing capabilities, its fur which is considered luxurious and even for its meat. In addition the monkey habitat is being minimizes because of logging making the number of golden stub-nose monkeys decline.  Today there is an estimated 20,000 of these Monkeys left, 4,000 of which live in Zhouzhi National Nature Reserve.  It is because of the growing rarity and beauty of this monkey that it is well worth the trip to Zhouzhi National Nature Reserve or the surrounding area during your China travel. Especially if you possess the adventurous spirit a firm grasp of the Chinese dialect and maybe even a longing to see some of the other 560 vertebrate species in the area such as the stump-tailed macaque.  A passion for adventure is almost necessary because to see these monkeys in the Zhouzhi National Nature Reserve one must travel up a long, narrow and slippery road into the snowy mountains of Qin Ling were the majority of these majestic creatures reside. Of course if you do not wish to travel to Central China you can also see this Chinese treasure if you travel to Beijing and go to the Beijing zoo which has a wide variety of China’s magnificent species such as the panda, the Chinese Giant Salamander and the South China Tiger. Although I must say it is well worth the trip into the country side to see these marvelous and adaptable creatures.

The golden stub-nosed monkey is praised for its ability to adapt to the climate of the rugged climate it has been pushed into over the course of a few centuries. Their diet in this terrain is comprised of mostly lichens leaves and tree bark, can you believe it? In addition primatologist Nina Jablonski has hypothesized that the adorable stub-nose of these monkeys is not just a fashion statement but an adaptation to the usually cold climate these monkeys inhabit. Continuing on the topic of their stub-nose the Latin name of this monkey is Rhinopithecus Roxellana, which is said to be derived from the name of a sultan’s stub-nosed concubine from the mid 1500s. This is quite the name for these territorial creatures because the males do seem to strut about like sultans during mating season while the females relax and pamper each other as beautiful concubines would. It is quite a sight to see the males hopping from tree to tree in their natural environment only to stop for a moment and strut their stuff in the hopes of wooing a female.  However, unlike the concubines of the past it is not the males who lead the troops but the females who sit high as queens of their kingdoms. The quirkiness and continuing rarity of these majestic and play full hóuzi (monkeys) make them a must see on any trip to China and they are well worth the trek in to the majestic countryside that is Central China. Plus I hear everyone loves all of the rustic and ornate China hotels scattered thought the countryside .

◆Dumpling's origin and development • Dumplings are one of the major foods eaten during the Chinese New Year and year round in the northern provinces. They look like the golden ingots yuan bao,which was used during the Ming Dynasty for money. Chinese invented dumpling about 1,800 years ago. It’s a traditional food loved by Chinese people. ◆ Types ●Boiled dumplings: (shuijiao) literally "water dumplings" . ● Steamed dumplings: (zhengjiao) literally "steam-dumpling" . ● Shallow fried dumplings (jianjiao) “pan stick”, known as “potstickers” in North. America also referred to as “dry-fried dumplings”. Filling For Dumplings • Common dumpling meat fillings include pork, mutton, beef, chicken, fish, and shrimp which are usually mixed with chopped vegetables. Popular vegetable fillings include cabbage, scallion (spring onions), leek, and garlic chives. Dumplings are eaten with a soy sauce-based dipping sauce that may include vinegar, garlic, ginger, rice wine, hot sauce, and sesame oil. the material -----Meat and vegetables | | Flavoring ------Flour Put Shallot, Ginger and Dumpling stuffing condiment in it. Then you need to do the chopping and the mixing. kneading the dough with wheat flour and water. Growth round dough by hand rub products Pulling into small pastes With a rolling pin,we make the wrappers. Then put the stuffing into it. Then pinch the wrapper and make a nice shape of it To cook them in the boiling water It’s important to stir a little with a spoon to make sure that the dumplings don’t stick to the bottom. Delicious dumplings