Jingdezhen: New Look of Ancient Porcelain Capital

Known as the world porcelain capital, Jingdezhen is a city with an abundant culture and a long history. While its 1,000-year-long porcelain industry gifts Jingdezhen a splendid history, the exhaust emission from the porcelain making once greatly damaged the city’s environment. Through years of comprehensive treatment, Jingdezhen has been turned into a National Garden City suitable for both living and establishing business.



Pollution Reduction – Giving the Porcelain City a Blue Sky and Green Water



To control the pollution caused by coal furnaces, Jingdezhen has been implementing environmental protection policies for more than a decade.



First, the energy structure has undergone changes and coal has been replaced by gas. Jingdezhen Coking Gas Plant, constructed with an investment of more than 200 million yuan, boasts clean and high-efficient gas-fired furnaces. The central heating system has reduced pollution. 223 industrial kilns in urban areas and 606 smokestacks have been torn down, putting an end to the pollution caused by furnaces.



Second, porcelain enterprises have been relocated out of the city to industrial parks. In just a few years, all ceramic enterprises in the city have been removed to industrial zones. Such new furnace method and advanced porcelain making techniques as energy-saving tunnel furnace using light-in-weight gas and sandwich roller kiln are employed, putting an end to the urban pollution caused by industrial wastes emission.



Third, the Blue Sky Project has been put into practice and large sums of money have been invested for city greening. At present, the already-constructed green space in the city spans an area of 1,704 hectares. With the greening rate reaching more than 50 percent, the public green space per capita amounts to 7.03 square meters. Environment has been greatly improved.



Through efforts of more than ten years, Jingdezhen has been changed into a beautiful, ecologically-friendly city with picturesque landscape, gardens, and profound cultures. The city has been ranked top for four consecutive years in Jiangxi’s quantitative assessment of cities’ environment comprehensive treatment. It has been designated as the National Garden City and Jiangxi Clean City. In 2006, Jingdezhen’s comprehensive project for air pollution reduction was conferred China’s Human Habitat Environment Model Award. In 2007, the city was selected by China’s National Forestation Commission as one of the 20 candidates for the “National Green Model City.”



Jingdezhen Ceramic History Expo Area – A Witness of the City’s Splendorous History



Jingdezhen Ceramic Culture History Expo Area consists of “Zhen Kilns”, Royal Kiln Museum, Hutian Ancient Kilns and Folk Ceramic Culture Museum, exhibiting the history of the 1000-year-old porcelain city.



With a history of 600 to 700 years, Jingdezhen "Zhen Kilns "are the best preserved ancient kilns in the world and are long-year places for ceramic researchers, ceramic lovers and visitors from home and abroad.



There are many only-existing and sole pieces collected by the Jingdezhen Royal Kiln Museum. Absorbing the element from the cultural exchange between the East and the West, this museum is regarded by experts as the “No.1 Museum under the Heaven” for the studying and researching of Jingdezhen porcelains.



Hutian Ancient Kilns possess the largest ancient porcelain-making sites. And tourists can enjoy the unique musical performances by porcelains in Folk Ceramic Culture Museum.



National Ceramic Technology Town – Future of the Porcelain Capital



A pilot project, Jingdezhen “National Ceramic Technology Town”, through development of nearly three years, has taken up a preliminary shape as a base for China’s ceramic technology research and development, and ceramic manufactured productions.



The annual-held China Jingdezhen International Ceramic Expo, a base for ceramic trading and information exchanging, has become a well-known brand. The expo has attracted exhibitors from the US, Japan, South Korea, France, Sweden, and African countries.

Jiangxi Walk in Fields of Gold

What better way to celebrate spring than by walking through yellow rape flower fields in the countryside? The rape flower has for centuries been used as fodder for farm animals and it's an important crop due to the oil pressed from its seeds. It has now also become a new tourist attraction for city dwellers.


As the mercury rises, some rural areas will soon be surrounded by a sea of the bright yellow rape flowers that are coming into bloom all over China. Pack your bag and take your camera to capture the first sign of spring.

Crowned "one of the country's most beautiful villages," Wuyuan has earned its fame as a heaven on Earth dotted with caves, rock formations, secluded villages and numerous historic sites. It has nationally famous rape flowers that flourish over the mountains, along the country roadsides, and on the terraced fields.


Each year from January to March, the village is crowded with visitors from all over China. In recent years, Wuyuan has become many Shanghainese people's top choice as a place to go to embrace the arrival of spring.


Wuyuan lies in the northeastern part of Jiangxi Province, on the boundary of Anhui and Zhejiang provinces. It is in the center of the golden triangle of Yellow Mountain, Lushan and Sanqing mountains, all famous mountains in the country.


Among the rape flower sites in Wuyuan, Jiangling is the must-see. Seas of yellow flowers bloom from the top of the mountain down to the valley floor. Standing on the peaks of the mountains, it is possible to see waves of golden blossom, dotted with several old villages stretching away in the distance.


Wuyuan often has heavy mists. Good pictures require patience but as the mist lifts, the magnificent scenery will unfold slowly.


The best rape flower route is Ziyang Town-Xiaoqi-Jiangling-Qingyuan. All of these places boast large fields of rape flowers, but the roads are muddy and bumpy. Be careful.

Transport:


Take the Huhang Highway. Transfer to Hangjinqu Highway at Raocheng. Turn right after getting off the Changshan ramp. Drive in the direction of "Kaihua, Wuyuan." The whole trip takes about five hours.


There are also shuttle buses between Shanghai and Wuyuan. The bus ticket is 100 yuan and the trip takes eight hours.


Accommodations:


Wuyuan has many hotels, but if a more individual trip is desired then staying in a farmer's home might be a better idea. In Wuyuan, the more remote the area is, the cheaper the room rate. In Qinghua and Xiaoqi, one night in a farmer's house costs around 60 yuan .



Ancient towns in the southern part of the Yangtze River


The rape flowers in the water towns of the lower reaches of the Yangtze River might not be as magnificent as those in Wuyuan and Minle, but they have their own elegance and beauty.


These old towns are crisscrossed with waterways and have small patchworks of rape flowers and rice fields.


A boat ride through these centuries-old towns with their stone bridges will give the visitor an idea of their grace.


Water towns, such as Tongli, Zhouzhuang, both in Jiangsu Province, and Nanxun in Zhejiang Province, are all good examples.

Jiangxi Cancels Eight Hotels' Qualifications

The Jiangxi Tourism Bureau has announced that a total of thirty-five hotels have passed their star-grade renewal while eight lost their star-grade qualifications, four had the renewal deferred, and four were requested to rectify problems within a specified time.


According to local media, the Star-Grade Hotel Assessment Committee of Jiangxi has reviewed those hotels which have held star-grade qualifications for five years and selected some other hotels around the province for renewal. Of these, thirty-five hotels including the Jiujiulong Hotel, Nanchang passed the renewal.


Four three-star hotels including Nanchang GuiHuaCun Hotel, Jiangxi Lushan Sports Hotel, Yingtan Longhu Villa, and Ji An Hotel had their renewal deferred because renovations have not been completed. The four-star Yichun Jinxiu Villa, the three-star Jinggang Mount Hotel and Nanchang Guancheng Holiday Village as well as Jiwei Hotel were given warnings and are required to be renovated with a time limit because some of their facilities and service levels failed to meet the relevant standards. All eight hotels are required to have their renovations or rectification completed before June 1st 2008 to have their star-grades renewed.


The eight hotels that had their star-grade qualifications revoked are the four-star Lake View Hotel Nanchang, the three-star Lushan Wangjiangting Hotel, and the Wuzhou Miramar Hotel as well as the Wuzhou Jinsha Resort Hotel, the two-star Nanchang Jiaotong Hotel, the Nanchang Jianglong Hotel, the Nanchang Post Hotel and the Ganzhou Dayu Mudanting Hotel.

Jiangxi Kongmu River National Wetland Park

A photo taken on December 19, 2007 shows the entrance of Kongmu river national wetland park in Xinyu, East China's Jiangxi Province.

December 22, chinadaily.com.cn - Kongmu river national wetland park, which covers an area of 1,563.9 hectares, is the first of its kind in Jiangxi. Wetland has the function of preserving water resources as well as beautifying the city. Building wetland park is an effective way of wetland protection. Kongmu river national wetland park is composed of river, lakes, ponds as well as paddy fields.



The scenery of Kongmu river national wetland park.



The scenery of Kongmu river national wetland park.



The scenery of Kongmu river national wetland park.



The scenery of Kongmu river national wetland park.



The scenery of Kongmu river national wetland park.



The scenery of Kongmu river national wetland park.

Three Days on Sanqing Mountain

Sanqing Mountain lies in Shangrao, northeast part of Jiangxi. It is not a good idea to try to cover the mountain in one day. A three-day journey could be ideal for urbanites longing for refreshment.

Day 1

Morning: Take the cable at 9 am to ascend the mountain. At about 100 meters from the cable are many hotels, the average price for a room is 300 yuan . Along the way there are many sights for snapshots including the Heavenly Gate peaks. The Wanshouyuan is a good place to take rest and learn about the Taoist tradition.

Afternoon: Walk along the Western Coast Plank Road. The 4-kilometer road, 1,600 meters over today's sea level, marks the ancient coast line.

Night: Put up a tent along the way and fall asleep in the murmuring of pines, or admire the bright stars. At Nanqingyuan along the plank road, you can find a few hotels that generally charge 450 yuan or more for a room.

Day 2

Morning: Wait for sunrise at the Sunny Coast. A spectacular sight is to see a giant rock shaped like a snake's head suddenly revealed in the dispersed mists.

Noon: Simple lunch nearby Sanqinggong, which is a 1,600-year-old Taoist temple.

Afternoon: Climb the Yujing Peak. At 1,816 meters above sea level, it is the tallest peak in Jiangxi and offers a panoramic view of the entire scenic region.

Night: Put up a tent near the Oriental Goddess Platform in Nanqingyuan.

Day 3

Morning: Take a leisurely walk in the Nanqingyuan area, where you might chance upon golden leopards, monkeys, deer and other animals living among the pines, firs and azaleas.

Afternoon: Leave the mountain by the cable.

Climbing High to Blessed Coolness

As the temperature keeps climbing, it takes a lot of patience to stay in the oven of Shanghai. Even the dust in the air seems roasted. So why not slip away to somewhere cool for a refreshing holiday?



In northern Jiangxi Province, Lushan Mountain faces the Yangtze River to the north and on the east borders Poyang Lake, the largest freshwater lake in China.



It is best known for three spectacles: the cloud sea, the waterfalls and the craggy cliffs, which have been depicted in many poems since ancient times.



The ever-changing mist that can come or disappear suddenly makes the mountain a mystery.



At the cinema in the center of the mountain, a film called "Romance on Lushan Mountain" has been shown since 1980, which is a Guinness World Record for its longest screening time in the same cinema.

Jiangxi Chase Flowers

Spring is time of flowers. Last year's warm winter leads to the early blossom of flowers. Blooming flowers never wait, they blossom and then wither. Let's catch the transient beauty and enjoy spring.







Located in Jiangxi Province, Wuyuan is a typical town in China's southeast area, with trees and water around. Decorated by kinds of flowers, Wuyuan's spring is as beautiful as a picture.








Mid-March is the best time to appreciate flowers in Wuyuan. The best-known flowers in Wuyuan are rape plant flowers. They are so common that you may not notice them when you pass by. But in Wuyuan, you'll see acres of them, the yellow wave will refresh you. Besides, there are there are pear flowers, peach flowers, Michelia floribunda and azaleas.

Jiangxi Sanqing Mountain Figures Way out

To achieve the goal of building a world-famous scenic spot, people in the Sanqing Mountain area are making great efforts to turn a grandiose plan into reality.

"The Sanqing Mountain is in the best time of development with the best outer environment in history," said Liu Shuzong, secretary of the local Party committee.





Enticing scenery of Sanqing Mountain in Jiangxi Province

Construction of the Sanqing Mountain Scenic Spot started just 20 years ago. But with improvement of the spot's tourism infrastructure, the number of tourists to the mountain has increased steadily in recent years.

In 2003, the number of visitors to the scenic spot hit 150,000. The number rose dramatically, to 450,000 in 2004 and 670,000 in 2005.

The surging number of tourists has brought considerable income to the scenic spot and improved local people's life.

Bottleneck and blueprints
However, the visitors also resulted in great pressure on the spot's natural environment and caused some problems, such as inadequacies in accommodation, transportation and car parks.

For example, the spot has only one cableway that can carry at most 4,000-5,000 tourists daily. Considering thousands of tourists swamped into the mountain in peak seasons, the inadequate transportation capacity has become a bottleneck for the spot's development.

To alleviate the pressure and achieve sustainable development, the authorities of the city of Shangrao and the Sanqing Mountain have mapped out an ambitious plan to build the mountain into a first-class global tourist attraction.

According to the plan, a series of large infrastructure construction projects, including service facilities, four-star hotels, water supply and drainage systems, and a new cableway in the east of the mountain, will be completed in five years.

As the most important part of the plan, the Jinsha Service Center at the foot of the mountain began construction in February last year.

Upon completion, the center will greatly improve the scenic spot's capacity for receiving tourists. With an investment of 1.6 billion yuan, the center boasts some of the best tourism facilities in the nation, such as a group of modern hotels, a camping base, a shopping mall and a food street.

The Jinsha Cableway, which connects the Huangmaogang and the Goddess Peak, will be put into use in May. The cableway, with an investment of 106 million yuan, is the third largest in China,

"We will insist on sustainable development of the scenic spot and keep balance between tourism development and environmental protection," Liu said.

In recent years, people in the mountain have adopted many measures to protect the natural environment.

The local authorities invested 150 million yuan on building a beautiful green belt and safety facilities along the 92-kilometer round-the-mountain road.

To reduce human beings' impact on the mountain's water system, a sewage treatment plant that can dispose 300 tons of wastewater daily is being built near the Sanqing Palace. A 5.6-million-yuan water plant aims to ensure water supply for tourists, along with 10 standard public toilets.

In recent years, the scenic spot has dismantled 56 illegal buildings, stopped building three large hotels and closed 26 unlicensed mines around the mountain.

"We spend one third of our income on environmental protection every year," said Yang Sha'ou, head of the scenic spot's management committee. "The spot's forest coverage rate has risen to 88.11 percent."

Situated near Shangrao City in East China's Jiangxi Province, the Sanqing Mountain is a national key scenic and historic spot, a national AAAA scenic resort, a national geopark and a national educational base of patriotism.

Jiangxi Cultural, Natural Scenery Highlights Protection

Sanqing Mountain is in the hinterland of Huaiyu Mountain in East China. It belongs to a part of the Huaiyu Mountain that covers an area of 760 square kilometres.

Sanqing Mountain is 12.2 kilometres from south to north and 6.3 kilometres from east to west. The total area of the mountain is 76.86 square kilometres. The mountain is in the shape of a lotus leaf, tilting from southeast to northwest.

Sanqing Mountain National Geopark has a planned area of 229.50 square kilometres. It is located in the northeastern part of Jiangxi Province. Running between 284822and 290042north latitude and 1175820and 1180828east longitude, the park includes five townships, 15 administrative villages and 124 natural villages. By the end of 2002, its total population was 16,167, representing a density of 70 people per square kilometre.

Geological heritage
Sanqing Mountain has an average sea level of between 1,000 and 1,800 metres. The mountain belongs to granite-eroded topography. Its main peak Yujing Peak is as high as 1,816.9 metres, making it the highest peak of Huaiyu Mountain.

The establishment of the geopark has integrated its unique granite peak views and its natural views with the Taoist relics. It has greatly promoted the research value of the scenic views at Sanqing Mountain and provides a foundation for scientific research and environmental protection.

It will effectively help protect geological relics and reasonably develop geological resources. In this way, the geological resources can achieve sustainable development.

The establishment of the park will also help adjust the industrial structure and expand employment chances to improve its investment environment and promote the sustainable development of the local economy of the Sanqing Mountain area.

Sanqing Mountain is made up of granite from the late stage of the Yanshan Period. During its formation, it was raised and eroded and collapsed to form its unique granite peak topography.

In the mountain area, there are rising peaks, strange stones, running waterfalls and deep valleys. The natural scenery of the area can be described as dangerous in the east and fantastic in the west, magnificent in the north and unique in the south.

Scientific research shows that the central scenic area covers 28 square kilometres. Within the area, there are 48 fantastic peaks, 89 huge stones in different shapes and more than 300 scenic views and places. This is the unique part of the mountain and a rare scene in the world.

Diverse climate
The mountain is situated in the middle and sub-tropic belt. It is about 340 kilometres from the sea in the east. Therefore, it is affected by the oceanic climate and belongs to the middle and sub-tropical monsoon climate. It also has the feature of a mountainous climate.

It has four seasons with a cool summer and long spring and autumn. In winter, the mountains are covered with snow.

Annual average temperature is 10.9 degrees. Its highest temperature is 33 degrees between July and August. The average temperature in July is 21.1 degrees and in January it is minus 0.6 degrees, with January's lowest temperature standing at minus 16 degrees.

The annual average precipitation is 1,857.7 millimetres and the average annual evaporation stands at 1,331.6 millimetres. The relative humidity is 82 per cent.

Precious resources
The surface water of Sanqing Mountain belongs to the ravine system. The water flows in two directions. Water from the southeast side runs into Xinjiang River, while water from the northwest part flows into Boyang Lake. Water resources on the mountain mainly come from rain. The rain comes down and flows into nearby ravines. The underground water is mainly contained in the layers of broken rocks.

According to the investigation conducted by the administrative committee of the mountain, the mountain has a forest area of 14,685 hectares, or a forest coverage rate of 88.1 per cent. Its wood reserve is 661,496 cubic metres. The vegetation belongs to the eastern evergreen broad-leaf forest of the middle and sub-tropical belt. The vegetation shows a distinction of vertical distribution. Between the sea level of 300 and 1,000 metres, the broad-leaf forest and coniferous forest grow together. Between 1,000 and 1,500 metres, there are mixed forests of broad-leaf and coniferous forests. At areas above 1,500 metres, there are coniferous forests and mountaintop woods.

The naturally grown plants fall into 157 subjects and 1,088 kinds. The area is thus considered a natural botanic garden. There are many tree species under State first-class protection. Many local specialties have both edible and medical functions.

The mountain has high peaks and deep ravines together with high forest coverage. The unique mountainous climate provides an outstanding natural environment for wild life and plants. According to a resource survey in 1982, there are more than 300 kinds of birds, animals, worms and amphibians in the area. Many of them belong to animals under State second-class protection.

Although Sanqing Mountain started late in tapping its tourism resources, it has gained rapid development. In 1988, it was approved as a State key scenic spot. Between 1997 and 1999, it received an average of 53,000 visitors every year. In 2002, 420,000 visits were made to the mountain and 470,000 in 2003.

The tourism revenue was 150 million yuan in 2002 and 190 million yuan in 2003.

The growing visitors also help drive the local economy. Its local GDP was 173.7 million yuan in 2002 and soared to 213.2 million yuan in 2003.

Jiangxi Symposium Puts Sanqing Mountain in Limelight

Although the Oriental Goddess, a pictographical peak in Sanqing Mountain in Shangrao in East China's Jiangxi Province, is not as famous as the Statue of Liberty in New York, its impact will definitely outstrip the latter, as it was created by nature more than 140 million years ago.

Dubbed the "first fairy mountain of Jiangxi Province," the Sanqing Mountain in Shangrao, a newly developed tourist attraction featuring granite forests, gorges and unique ecological scenes, have recently attracted the attention of the world's geology circle.

In a bid to strengthen exchanges with international granite geoparks and to further reveal the law of the formation and development of granite geology and landforms, as well as to better explore natural landscape resources, Shangrao city government hosted the First International Symposium on Granite Geology and Landscapes on July 24, 2006.

More than 160 foreign and domestic specialists and representatives specializing in geology, geogramorphology and tourism gathered in the city to take part in the meeting; elaborating and exchanging their viewpoints on the formation and evolution process and law of granite landscapes in the Sanqing Mountain.

They put forward suggestions on environmental protection, keeping a balance between the development of tourism and protection of geological resources, and the preparation for application for world geoparks and natural geoheritages.

"The symposium, the first of its kind in the city, is a great event for academic research on granite geology and landscapes, and is also a grand exchange platform for the construction of granite geoparks," said Shangrao Vice-Mayor Xiao Tianlian at the opening ceremony.

With China's fast-growing social and economic development, tourists have higher requirements for geoparks and their scientific popularization. One of the important goals of geoparks is to protect natural and cultural resources and biodiversity, with scientific research as its base, said Xiao.

"Currently, it is urgent for us to conduct scientific research and promote science popularization for the people. This symposium meets the needs for the development of China's geoparks and scenic spots as well as other tourism areas," said the vice-mayor.


The Sanqing Mountain

A famous national geopark in Shangrao, Sanqing Mountain has drawn great attention from the participants of the symposium.

Xiao said, through 20 years' development, the Sanqing Mountain has won many glorious titles from the State, including national scenic spot, national four-A tourism area, national geopark, one of the first batches of national natural heritage sites, national model of scenic area and national base of patriotism education.

At the symposium, Liu Shuzong, Party secretary of the Sanqing Mountain National Park, also gave a brief introduction to Sanqing Mountain.

He said the mountain is located in the northeast of Shangrao, boasting a total area of more than 700 square kilometres and 10 major scenic spots.

In geological history, the area went through violent orogenic movements, explaining why the peaks can reach the clouds. The long periods of erosion and the effect of gravity collapse has also contributed to the wonderful view of towering cliffs and deep secluded valleys.

The mountain has 64 fantastic peaks and 382 grotesque rocks. The highest peak, called Yujing Peak, stands at 1,816.9 metres above sea level. To the north of Yujing are two peaks sitting parallel, the Yuxu Peak and Yuhua Peak. The three peaks tower into the sky like three immortals sitting in a line with hovering clouds around their shoulders, said Liu.

The mountain is also known for its ancient pine trees of various gestures. The rhododendron flowers dotted over the hills and slopes in late spring and early summer lure tourists from home and abroad.

When mentioning the unique attractiveness of the mountain, Liu quoted Qin Mu, a famous Chinese prose writer, as saying, "The Sanqing Mountain is the hometown of clouds, a gallery of pine trees and fantastic rocks, and is a great, natural Chinese painting."

After hard work and strong support from local authorities, the basic facilities of Sanqing Mountain National Park have gradually been completed and its management updated.

With the scientific and aesthetic value of the area's granite forest landscapes becoming clear and attractive, the number of tourists increased to more than 500,000 in 2005 from 100,000 in 2003. The ticket income in the first half of this year exceeded the whole year in 2004, said Liu.

According to the national park's 11th Five-Year Plan , it intends to invest 3 billion yuan to build a tourism zone and a service zone. By 2010, the number of visitors is expected to hit more than 1 million with ticket income surpassing 100 million yuan , said Liu.

Hot topics

Experts from home and abroad exchanged their views on granite landforms, geology, geopark construction and other hot topics at the symposium.

The general goal of geoparks to integrate the preservation of geological heritage into a strategy for regional sustainable socio-economic and cultural development serves ideally the overall objective of the International Year of Planet Earth , which will be held in 2008, Dr Franz Wolfgang Eder, honorary member of the World Geoparks of the United Nations Education, Scientific and Cultural Organization and member of the board of IYPE, told the symposium.

The Year and the geopark initiative have been well supported in the past and currently by China. China's authorities understand that geoparks, as well as the Year are excellent tools for educating the public at large on earth science, geo-environmental management and sustainable development, said Eder.

As a fundamental part of the natural world, geology and landscapes have had a profound influence on society, civilization and cultural diversity. The use of land for agriculture, forestry, mining, quarrying and for building homes, cities and tourism destinations is intimately related to the underlying rocks, soils and landforms, said Eder.

In his presentation named "Granite landscape geodiversity at its best", Piotr Migon, professor from the Department of Geography and Regional Development with the University of Wroclaw, Poland, said geodiversity has values involving existence, culture, aesthetics, economy, functions, research and education.

Individual landforms can be visually striking and many are indeed designated as natural monuments. However, it is the repeated occurrence of boulders, tors, domes, rock pinnacles and rock slopes that account for the scenic appeal of many landscapes and terrains, said Migon.

This creates two possible problems for geoconservation. One is that it might be difficult to select representatives for site designation, because of different possible criteria of evaluations. The other is that the preferred designation of larger areas might be impossible because of inadequate legal regulations in particular countries, or opposed by local people fearing constraints on economic development. The geopark initiative appears to be a welcome solution, said Migon.

After making demonstrations on the formation of granite landforms and landscapes theoretically, Professor Chen Anze from the Chinese Academy of Geological Sciences, said the development of the country's granite scenic spots should follow the way of science, instead of the way to seek fairy tales and legends.

He suggests that the geological scientific and research institutes should conduct systematic surveys on granite landforms and landscapes. More granite museums should be set up to popularize scientific knowledge.

Tourism guides should be trained and work with job certificates. Different tourist routes at a scenic site should be provided for different groups of people, such as for adults, students and specialists, said Chen.

During the symposium, domestic and foreign experts toured the Sanqing Mountain National Park and made on-the-spot inspections. When entering the scenic spots, they were all amazed by the stunning and wonderful views. "It's really wonderful. The scenery here is one of the most spectacular sceneries in the world," said Eder.

Jointly sponsored by Shangrao City People's Government, Jiangxi Provincial Land Resources Department, the State Geopark Research Centre, and the Research Society of Tourist Geosciences and Geoparks of the China Geological Society, the week-long symposium was organized by the Administrative Committee of the Sanqin Mountain National Park. The conference was supported by the Jiangxi Academy of Geological Surveys and Jiangxi Shangrao Land Resources Bureau.

Jiangxi Jinggangshan _ Red History, Green Getaway

Tourists who flock to Jinggangshan — the "cradle of the Chinese revolution" — seeking spiritual enlightenment from late revolutionary leaders usually get much more than that. Magnificent mountains intertwined with heroic stories make Jinggangshan an unparalleled scenic spot for both learning and relaxing.



Scenery of Jinggangshan


Jinggangshan, a city named after Jinggangshan Mountain in Jiangxi Province, has become one of the most popular places for patriotic education with the growing popularity of "red tourism," which refers to visits to areas related to China's "red" revolution from 1921, when the Communist Party of China was established, to 1949, when New China was founded.

Even though Jinggangshan, a typical mountain city 380 meters above sea level, is easily accessible now, it was hard to reach many years ago. That's the reason why its natural beauty has remained intact and also why the Communist Party of China chose it as its first rural revolutionary base.

In October 1927, the Autumn Harvest Uprising troops led by Mao Zedong marched to Jinggangshan and set up the first revolutionary base there. In late April 1928, the remainder of the army led by Zhu De and Chen Yi joined Mao in Jinggangshan and created the fourth Red Army.

Traces of the Red Army can be found everywhere in Jinggangshan.

Mao’s former residence cannot be missed. The house, with tile roof and mud walls, is surrounded by upright pines and green bamboos in Ciping, the center of the revolutionary base in Jinggangshan.

From October 1927 to January 1929, Mao lived and worked in the rear of the house. After Mao and Zhu moved their troops to southern Jiangxi, the Kuomintang army occupied Jinggangshan and burnt most of the houses in Ciping, including Mao's former residence. In 1961, it was restored to its original appearance.

The revolutionary museum is also located at Ciping. Founded in 1959, it is the first local revolutionary museum in China. More than 800 precious relics and 2,000 replicas depict the glorious cause of the late revolutionaries. The oil lamp and inkstone Mao used to write the famous article "Struggle in Jinggangshan" and the shoulder pole Zhu used to transport food are among exhibits there.

The museum also features many paintings by renowned artists depicting the life and battles in Jinggangshan. Audio-visual rooms have been opened in recent years, offering visitors a more vivid glimpse into the past.

Compared to the crowds in the above two places, Jinggangshan Revolutionary Martyrs' Cemetery is a much more tranquil location where tens of thousands of martyrs rest.

Two flights of stone stairs lead visitors to the cemetery which is halfway up Beishan Hill. The first flight has 49 steps, marking the founding of the People’s Republic of China in 1949, and the second has 60 steps, signaling the cemetery was opened in 1987 — the 60th anniversary of the founding of the Jinggangshan revolutionary base. The martyrs' monument is on the highest peak of the cemetery.

Apart from its rich history, Jinggangshan has many natural attractions. Lofty mountains, immense forests, clear springs bamboos and roaring waterfalls, together with the fresh air, make for an invigorating tonic for people fed up with urban life.

Huangyangjie is a place visitors cannot afford to miss. A perfect combination of natural beauty and historical significance, it is the site of the Battle of Huangyangjie, in which the Red Army defeated a Kuomintang force 10 times its size in 1928.

Locked in clouds, Huangyangjie, at an altitude of 1,343 meters, is an ideal place for tourists to enjoy the sunrise and the sea of clouds. Standing on the former entrenchment, visitors sometimes get a clear view of one of the most famous scenic spots in China — the Wuzhi Peaks, which are pictured on the backs of older 100-yuan notes.

Standing side by side like five fingers, the peaks are the symbol of Jinggangshan with dense forests, overlapping ridges, cliffside falls and abundant animals and plants.

However, most of the time, they are veiled by thick clouds. Surrounded by water, they can only be accessed by boats, which take visitors from the peaks to Dragon Pond, a less famous but extremely intriguing place.

Dubbed a "natural oxygen tank," the pond consists of 18 waterfalls emptying into five small pools, which are Jade Pool, Locked Dragon Pool, Pearl Pool, Flying Phoenix Pool and Fairy Pool.

Fairy Pool is the biggest and the most fascinating. It is located at the foot of a waterfall which plunges 40 meters down the crags and looks like a dancing fairy in white.

Bamboos can be found everywhere in Jinggangshan. In spring when the bamboos bud and bloom, they sway in the breeze and send out a light fragrance.

When in Jinggangshan, remember to rent a Red Army uniform , sit on a bamboo raft and pose for photos.

It is said that bamboo rafts were first used by Hakka people who moved to Jinggangshan many years ago.

They made a living by selling bamboo which was cut from the mountain and floated to the lower reaches of the river. Now bamboo rafts have become a unique way to see the area.

Most tourists in Jinggangshan stay in Ciping, which is the city's commercial center with an unbelievably large number of star hotels.

There are frequent tour buses between scenic spots and Ciping, but it is more convenient to rent a taxi at about 80 yuan for a day. But during golden weeks, the price will jump to between 200 and 300 yuan.

Food in Jinggangshan is very cheap, with pumpkin soup, potherb and red rice strongly recommended. Even though most of the eateries offer dishes strongly flavored with red chilies, visitors who are not accustomed to spicy food can easily find Cantonese-style restaurants run by Hakka people.

In Ciping, tourists can find a legion of stores selling bamboo souvenirs, ranging from bowls to toys. Dried bamboo shoots are also very popular.

Jiangxi Hanging Coffins Performance Attract Visitors

A mimicking performance on how to arrange coffins up onto high cliff caves was re-staged on Sunday at the site of ancient hanging coffins at Xianshui Cliff, Longhu Mountain in Yingtan, east China's Jiangxi Province.







Performers simulate the installation of hanging coffins up onto grottos at Xianshui Cliff, Longhu Mountain in Yingtan, east China's Jiangxi province, on Sunday, November 25, 2007.

China News Service reported that the site owns more than one hundred ancient hanging coffins, that dated back to the ancient Yue State from the Spring and Autumn and the Warring States Period .

The coffin caves, dug into precipitious cliffs twenty to fifty meters above the Luxi River, have remained impossible to access over the past 2,500 years. As a result, the contents inside the coffin grottoes remain enshrouded in mystery.

However, there is still no definite explanation on how ancient people exactly installed their ancestors' hanging coffins into the grottoes. The mimicking performance at Xianshui Cliff was anyhow just one of the said ways to arrange hanging coffine, although the way has not been verified as exact by scientific research.

Nanchang Building 'Nuo' Mask Park

A labourer works on a 'Nuo' mask sculpture at a park in Nanchang, eastern China's Jiangxi province December 29, 2006.


December 29, chinanews – A Nuo themepark, spanning 79,200 square meters and injected with 45 million yuan, is built in Nanchang, capital of Jiangxi Province.



A labourer works on a 'Nuo' mask sculpture at a park in Nanchang, eastern China's Jiangxi province December 29, 2006.

Twenty Nuo masks, 6 meters high, with Chinese and all over the world characteristics, stand at the both sides of the park. The maijor sculpture, called Nuo Soul, is more than 30 meters high, boasts the highest Nuo mask sculpture in the world.



A labourer works on a 'Nuo' mask sculpture at a park in Nanchang, eastern China's Jiangxi province December 29, 2006.

'Nuo' is an ancient Chinese festival held to exorcise the evil spirits causing any plague, especially popular in Jiangxi Province.



A labourer works on a 'Nuo' mask sculpture at a park in Nanchang, eastern China's Jiangxi province December 29, 2006.

Jiangxi Unique Cultures, Vast Wonders

For many people, this is all they know about the world's most populous nation. It is simply the place with more than 1.3 billion inhabitants where everything is made.



First built in the middle 600s AD, the Tengwang Pavilion in Nanchange, China, was built by a prince who liked the view from the area.

But the People's Republic of China is more than just a center of commerce. It is a country of diverse people — China is made up of 56 ethnic groups — landscapes, cultures and sounds.

Recently, my wife and I had the opportunity to travel to China to complete the adoption of our first child. We had the chance to visit three locations in the world's fourth-largest country, each of which is unique. We met fascinating people, saw historic places and experienced much of what makes China truly amazing, all while logging close to 17,000 airline miles.


Beijing

Our first stop was Beijing, China's capital and second largest city with a population near 15 million. It is the home of the Forbidden City and Tianamen Square. Beijing is in northern China, and our January visit was punctuated by bone-chilling temperatures.

Part of a day was spent exploring a section of the Great Wall — one of the world's seven wonders, and such an impressive feat of construction it can be seen from outer space. The Great Wall stretches 3,948 miles, and construction began in the 5th century B.C.

With temperatures in the 30s — and wind chills much colder — our group braved out onto the wall. Some only made it up a couple of hundred meters in elevation; others climbed to the end of the section where we stopped. The views were amazing, and the thoughts of the countless hours of labor that went into the Great Wall were staggering.

While the Great Wall remains a constant, the city of Beijing is in a state of change. Construction sites can be seen on every street, surrounded by bamboo scaffolding. High-rise buildings are being built among some of the poorer sections of the city. Five-star hotels sit next to buildings with no windows and heat. The rich and poor coexist only a stone's throw from each other.

For pictures from the Great Wall and other Beijing landmarks, go to reflector.com


Nanchang

Nearly 800 miles to the south of Beijing was our second stop — Nanchang, on the banks of the Gan River and about 40 miles south of the Yangtze River. Nanchang, with a population of just under 4 million, is the capital of the Jiangxi province, where the weather is much the same as in eastern North Carolina. Our trip saw us enjoying temperatures in the 50s — far warmer than the freezing temperatures of Beijing.

Nanchang is home to Tengwang Pavilion, a towering structure dating back to 653 A.D., and Nanchang's People's Square, the second largest public square in China. We had the chance to explore the square one afternoon. It was amazing how a group of more than 20 Americans stands out in a crowded square and how many people came up to speak to us.

While in Nanchang we had an experience none of us will forget — a trip inside a Chinese Wal-Mart. It was tucked inside a four-story shopping area with Wal-Mart taking up nearly two stories of the complex. A rough estimate would have put the number of people in this particular story over 10,000 based on the inability to move. It was a claustrophobic's nightmare.

For pictures from Nanchang, go to reflector.com.


Guangzhou

Our final stop was Shamian Island in Guangzhou in southern China. Guangzhou is the capital of the Guangdong province and has a population of 12.6 million in the metro area. We were greeted by palm trees and temperatures in the 70s on this island surrounded by the Pearl River.

Guangzhou is an area heavily visited by western tourists. In fact, English was spoken by many of the people we ran into while on Shamian Island. We were able to walk the streets in the downtown area and speak with many of the shop owners. But we also heard German, Spanish, Russian and other languages.

Shamian Island at night was somewhat like a cross between Disney World and Las Vegas. The countless high-rise buildings on both sides of the river were lit from top to bottom, and the walkway around the water's edge pulsated with lights. A laser show cut through the night sky once an hour, making it feel like a true tourist destination.

For pictures from Guangzhou, go to reflector.com


While the places were all wonderful and unique in their own way, there were other things that struck us during our visit.


Traffic

No matter where you live, people believe the traffic in their area is the worst. Having lived in a college town for the last 20 years, I have complained about Greenville's traffic signals and flow more times than I can count. But let me tell you, the roads here are a welcome relief.

Throughout China, street lights and road markings appear to be there for one reason and one reason only — decoration. Traffic flow is a choreography of chaos backed by an orchestra of car, bus and truck horns.

Intersections are a meeting place of pedestrians, buses, trucks, cars and motorized scooters, all fighting for a small piece of real estate to call their own. Many times, large vehicles are forced to share that fought-for land with another vehicle or a handful of pedestrians.

I had the experience of a lifetime during a taxicab ride in Nanchang. Only Disney could have dreamed up a wilder ride. While returning to our hotel from a downtown appointment, our cab driver somehow managed to squeeze between three buses with two wheels on the curb so we could make our exit — all the while doing so with one hand on the steering wheel and the other rhythmically pounding out a tune on the horn.

I was left to catch my breath and be thankful for making it to my destination alive. Give me game-day traffic in Greenville anytime.


Food

You only have to keep your eyes open as you walk through the streets of China to see the main staples of the Chinese diet. Often hanging right next to the laundry on people's balconies are such delicacies as chicken, duck, ham and sausage.

It is a widely held practice by the Chinese people that no part of the animal should go to waste. So it is not uncommon for such things as chicken feet to be on the dinner plate. And for the squeamish, turn your head, because chances are the fish, duck or chicken will be served with the head still attached.

A breakfast buffet will include fried rice, curry chicken, baked beans and many other items that may seem out of place in the United States. But how many restaurants have you been to lately that the menu included bird's nest soup, rabbit, squid, crocodile and Peking duck?


Olympics

Beijing is abuzz about the coming of the 2008 Summer Olympics. As soon as you step off the plane, there are signs of the Games everywhere. From Fuwa — the official mascots of the Olympics — to the slogan, One World One Dream, all of Beijing proudly displays the coming event.

In various locations around Beijing, you can find signs that give you an up-to-date countdown until the Games begin. Road construction is rampant as the city tries its best to improve traffic flow for the pending onslaught of foreign journalists and athletes.

We had the opportunity to drive past some of the areas in Beijing where construction on the Olympic venues was under way. The world is going to be impressed with the look of the structures. From the National Olympic Stadium — known as the "Bird's Nest" — to a building that appears to be covered with bubbles, China is showing the world its best.

Stay tuned for the 2008 Olympics and a true look at the country of China and the vast creativity of its people.


China is more than a land of more than 1.3 billion people. It is a country full of history, unique cultures and vast wonders. It is a land you can visit again and again, and never plumb the depths of all it has to offer. And even if you could, at its rate of change, China will be all new in five years. One visit can't possibly be enough to see and experience all it has to offer.

Jiangxi Window to Ages

At dusk, I sat on a stone bench, admiring the peaks bathed in the last golden rays of sunlight. The silhouettes of pines were clear-cut in the gathering darkness. The air seemed to be filled with shiny rosy particles, which made the chirping of birds even more tranquil and warm.

It all seemed so familiar, as if it was a scene from some distant memories. Then I realized, I could have been living in a poem by Tang Dynasty poet Wang Wei or a painting by master Zhao Mengfu .

Today, I have plenty of chances to experience the wild west of the United States, the transparent sea of Australia, the vast desolate deserts of Africa, the mysterious plateaus of South America and the romantic Rhine of Europe. But I have long neglected the Chinese experience.

The rugged rocks, the elegant pines, they used to define the artistic ambiance of ancient Chinese scholars. But sadly, I had not given them enough thought, until that quiet dusk, when I paused halfway on a journey to Sanqing Mountain, a renowned Taoist site in East China's Jiangxi Province.

By all means, Sanqing Mountain is a typical example of traditional Chinese culture: the gorgeous granite peaks, the weathered but energetic pines, the mists and drizzles brought by refreshing wind. Wherever you take a snapshot, you can get a perfect picture of what ancient painters once depicted.

After a two-hour flight from Beijing to Quzhou of East China's Zhejiang Province, my friends and I took a bus to Yushan, which took an hour. Another one-hour bus ride sent us to the foot of Sanqing Mountain, where we took the cable, which spans over two peaks.

Halfway into the 40-minute cable ride, the first peak miraculously shielded all the earthly clattering. A cuckoo sang on hurriedly, while another unknown bird echoed in a languid tune. As our cable hit the branches, insects flew up and squirrels hastened away.

I turned off the mobile and immersed my heart in the silence. Silence, it seemed, had many layers just like the overwhelming green - the bright sparkling pteridophytes, the dark furry leaves of azalea, and the shiny pine needles.

The cable stopped at the bottom of a valley, towered by the Heavenly Gate peaks. Several porters balanced the loads of vegetables and bottled water on shoulder poles as they picked their way along the sharply ascending steps. They were sending a day's necessities to the hotels in the mountains.

Half an hour later, we finished the stone steps and found ourselves at the 4,600-meter-long plank road, which ancients built with logs at an average elevation of 1,600 meters along the precipices.

Along the way, pines and azaleas often reached into my face. I found the pines particularly photogenic. Their main trunks lean close to the cliffs, but all the branches reach toward the valley filled with drifting mists.

When I traveled in Europe, I often noticed the pines, which looked just like sturdy soldiers on guard. But here at Sanqing Mountain, the pines which grow out of small crevices on the granite peaks all have sparse dark needles and huge knobs with multiple wrinkles that make them look like bearded octogenarians.

Pine is an everlasting image in traditional Chinese painting. Many Westerners find it hard to discover the beauty of an old pine or a rock with many holes, but Chinese would instantly recall thoughts in Taoism and Buddhism.

In 1998, Chinese artist Hong Lei created a photographic work by combining an ancient landscape painting with a modern, towering chimney. The classic landscape was instantly destroyed by the symbol of modernization and the artist lamented the disappearing Chinese spirit.

I have long shared the same sense of loss and couldn't find any way out. But here at Sanqing Mountain, there seems to be an answer.



Sanqing Mountain's picture-perfect landscape.

The Taoist temple Sanqinggong, or Palace of Three Immortals, was built 1,600 years ago and remains the essence of the mountain.

Unlike populated scenic regions, where the temples have been invariably painted anew, Sanqinggong has maintained its aged appearance. The original architecture was modeled upon the Eight Diagrams of Taoism. But only a central courtyard is still intact.

The dimly lit main hall seemed to be permeated with coolness. Upon our invitation, a young nun chanted three passages from a scripture. She couldn't explain the exact meaning, but the texts left by some unknown sages sounded peaceful and surprisingly pleasant.

Close by the temple is a simple restaurant. After the rustic but appetizing lunch, we moved wooden benches outside and sipped tea with big pottery bowls. Nearby, a half-filled barrel was left on the rim of an ancient well. I could imagine how Tang Dynasty poet Wang Wei felt when he wrote: "A bright moon shines among the pines, a clear spring flows among the rocks."

As more and more Chinese join package tours or help themselves in journeys overseas, places like Sanqing Mountain which feature traditional Chinese landscape have been neglected, except perhaps, for the three major holidays in the year.

But my short trip there convinces me that to be a real Chinese, I must climb such mountains many many times.

Wuyuan, Younger than Springtime

On the boundary of three provinces in Jiangxi's northeastern corner, has a magnificent landscape.Wandering in the villages of Wuyuan County in spring offers refreshing views of hills covered in rape flowers, green farmland, exuberant camphor trees, creeks and small rapids. Lingering on an old bridge as the soft rain bounces off gurgling streams, you can sail through time to a place of peace and tranquility.

Local Specialties:

Tea

Wuyuan Green Tea was a tribute to the imperial court in the Ming and Qing dynasties . The best brands are Dazhangshan and Tianyou.

Crafts

The Longwei Inkstone is regarded as one of the best in China.

Food

Stewed Pouch Red Carp; Steamed Pork with Rice Flour; and Jiangwan Snow Pear, known as the "King of Pears" in southern China.



The remote county was home to some of China's top scholars and some of the country's richest merchants. Back in their hometowns, these wealthy merchants would often construct majestic homes and elaborate ancestral temples so their families and forefathers could share in their success.

Sanqing Mountain Beckons Visitors

Sanqing Mountain Geological Park in East China's Jiangxi Province was officially opened to the public earlier this month, a representative of the park's administrative committee said.



Located in the northeast of the city of Shangrao, Sanqing Mountain is traditionally regarded as a holy mountain by followers of Taoism.



Further, geologists consider it an ideal spot for scientific research. The area, covering over 200 square kilometers, is among the most famous locations in the world for studying the earth's history and ancient plate tectonics, as it has been witness to almost 1 billion years of continuous geological evolution.



Years of tectonic erosion have sculpted the granite in Sanqing Mountain into a variety of landforms and shapes. Experts have high praise for the area as it provides a valuable study in geological science; they say the topography of the granite peak forest is a natural museum and a natural textbook of geology.



Sanqing Mountain is famous for its natural mountain landscape as well as various Taoist humanistic attractions.







Officials from the Ministry of Land and Resources and the Sanqing Mountain Geopark

Administrative Committee attend the opening ceremony of the park in Jiangxi Province

recently.



Approved in 1988 as a key national scenic spot by the State Council, the mountain has since developed 48 gorgeous peaks, 52 grotesque rocks and more than 500 spots of scenic beauty.



Sanqing Mountain is not only popular with experts and visitors from home and abroad, but has also gained official recognition from the government.



It was hailed as a national geological park in 2005 by the Ministry of Land and Resources, and is included in the list of natural sites nominated by the Chinese government this year for the 2008 world natural heritage project of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization.

Sanqing Geopark Vies for World Heritage Title

Sanqing Mountain National Geopark, a newly developed scenic spot featuring granite geology and landscapes, is stepping up its efforts to gain entry onto the world natural heritage list.

Located in Shangrao, East China's Jiangxi Province, the park boasts a scenic area of 398 square kilometres with 88 per cent of forest coverage. Granite landscapes, various varieties of rare plants and birds, gorges and unique ecological scenes can be seen everywhere.

The geopark has been listed by the Ministry of Construction as one of two candidates eligible to apply to make it onto the world natural heritage list of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization in 2006.

Preparations

To quicken the pace of preparations to enter the world natural heritage list, local authorities and the park's administration committee recently invited more than 100 famous domestic and overseas experts and scholars, specializing in geology, landscapes and tourism, to ask for their advice and suggestions.




There is a lot of work for Sanqing Mountain Geopark to achieve before it is included in the world natural heritage list, said Dr Chris Wood from Bournemouth University of Britain.

The work includes drafting nomination documents, development of models describing the origin of Sanqing Mountain granite landform types, said Wood, also a geologist with the World Heritage Centre.

More attention should be paid to the development of the models showing altitudinal zones in the geological and ecological landscape of Sanqing Mountain. It is important to support the idea of a completely integrated ecological system and the concept of integrity, he said.

Links with leading international scientists that have visited or know of Sanqing Mountain and might provide a statement in support of the international heritage value of the mountain should be established.

The nomination documents of the United Kingdom Dorset and East Devon World Heritage Site is a good model for applicant authorities to follow, said Wood.

It is taking longer than expected to go through the procedures to be included as a nominee for the world heritage list. The Ministry of Construction needed to submit the nomination documents to UNESCO China National Committee by August this year.

The committee, however, is expected to submit it to the World Heritage Centre by February 2007. If it is accepted, the centre will set up a panel and send specialists to conduct on-the-spot investigations. If everything goes well, Sanqing Mountain Geopark will be on the list in 2008, Wood told China Daily.

"I didn't know where Sanqing Mountain was six months ago. But I was fascinated by the beautiful and unique granite landscapes on seeing it," said Professor Piotr Migon from the University of Wroclaw of Poland.

Geological treasure

Whether from the point of view of a geologist or from that of an ordinary tourist, Sanqing Mountain is just like a hidden treasure.

"I hope my colleagues in China and other countries make a great effort to promote it internationally through writing articles, publishing research material and via the Internet, to let people know about the beautiful Sanqing Mountain," said Migon.

Migon hopes to hear people say: "Oh, I know the mountain; why hasn't it been included on the world natural heritage list". Publicity is very important and helpful to applications for inclusion onto the heritage list, he said.

In applying for a spot on the list, Sanqing Mountain has an advantage, which is its diverse granite landscapes. However, there is one problem. There are several granite landscapes in the world, which are also beautiful and applying to gain a spot on the list.




Sanqing Mountain Geopark has to highlight its specific features, said Dr Franz Wolfgang Eder, a honourary member of the World Geoparks of UNESCO.

Sanqing Mountain's entire landscape has irreplaceable value of natural conservation in terms of geology and geomorphology, biological diversity, complete ecological system and aesthetics, said Dr Li Jianghai from Peking University.

In fact, the process of applying for entry onto the world natural heritage list is a progression in terms of protecting the natural resources.

So careful work should be done to avoid any accidents such as forest fires, said Deng Wei, an official from the Ministry of Construction.

Status-quo





To achieve the goal, the geoparks' administration committee worked out "the Regulations on Administration of Sanqing Mountain Scenic Spot Area," under which the mountain's landscapes will be managed and conserved in a legal way.

China currently has 31 sites included on the World Heritage List, ranking third behind Spain and Italy.

"The World Heritage Committee focuses on protection," according to Tian Xiaogang, secretary-general of the UNESCO China National Committee.

In order to strengthen the protection of China's natural heritage, the Ministry of Construction has compiled a list of natural sites and sites with both natural and cultural importance.

The Ministry of Construction is in charge of picking nominees for natural heritage sites and sites with both natural and cultural properties, while the Ministry of Culture is in charge of cultural sites.

Among the 31 world heritage sites in China, only four were included for their natural properties, and five for both natural and cultural properties, according to the website of the Ministry of Culture.

Currently, more than 200 sites in China aim to apply for entry onto the list. Among them, more than 60 sites have been put on the world heritage preparatory list. These include 17 natural sites, around 30 cultural sites and 13 mixed ones.

Taoist Holy Land Offers Best to Tourists

A grotesque rock resembles an elephant in the Sanqing Mountain. Situated in Shangrao, in East China's Jiangxi Province, the mountain features clouds, fantastic rocks and pine trees of various gestures. The plants there belong to 157 families, 500 genera and 1,088 species.

- "The Sanqing Mountain is the hometown of clouds, a gallery of pine trees and fantastic rocks, and is a great, natural Chinese painting," said Qin Mu, a famous Chinese prose writer after viewing the magnificent and enchanting scenery of the mountain.

The mountain combines the imposing view of Taishan Mountain, the steep of Huashan Mountain, the curling clouds of Hengshan Mountain, the waterfall of Lushan Mountain, and the serenity of the Emei Mountain.

It is no wonder that in ancient times people believed the mountain was inhabited by immortals.

Situated in Shangrao in East China's Jiangxi Province, the Sanqing Mountain is a national key scenic and historic interest area, a national 4A scenic resort, a national geopark, one of the first batch of the national natural heritage sites, as well as a national patriotism education base, and a national model scenic area.

But it does not rest on its laurels. It is in the process of applying for the titles of World Natural Heritage and World Geopark.

As the mountain's unique granite landscape has increasingly captured worldwide attention, its administration committee is going to organize the First International Symposium on Granite Geology and Landforms from July 24-28 this year.

Enchanting beauty

The region where the Sanqing Mountain is located saw frequent and violent orogenic movements in geological history, which explains why the mountain can reach the clouds.

The long periods of erosion and the effect of gravity collapse has also contributed to the wonderful view of towering cliffs and deep, secluded valleys.

The Sanqing Mountain has 64 fantastic peaks and 382 grotesque rocks.

The highest peak of the mountain range is the Yujing Peak standing at 1,816.9 metres above sea level. To the north of the Yujing Peak are two peaks standing parallel - the Yuxu Peak with an altitude of 1,776 metres above sea level and and the 1,752-metre-high Yuhua Peak. The three peaks tower into the sky like three immortals sitting in a line with hovering clouds around their shoulders.

The mountain is also known for its ancient pine trees of various gestures. The plants there belong to 157 families, 500 genera, and 1,088 species. The rhododendron flowers dotted over the hills and slopes in late spring and early summer have been a magnet for tourists from both home and abroad.

The marvellous spectacle of the sea of clouds provokes an image of a wonderland. Furthermore, many spectacular meteorological sights often occur on the mountain, adding to its mystery.

Taoist culture

Ever since Ge Hong, a former senior official of Jin Dynasty , left his office and came to the Sanqing Mountain to make pills of immortality as a Taoist practice, the mountain gradually became a holy place for those of past dynasties that believed in Taoism.

Especially in the Tang and Song dynasties , when Taoism was revered as a state religion, the construction of Taoist buildings on the Sanqing Mountain entered an unprecedented period of growth.

During the past 1,600 years, a large number of ancient Taoist buildings and cultural relics have been well preserved on the mountain. The ancient building complex has a carefully planned pattern.

In addition to its natural landscape and Taoist buildings, the Sanqing Mountain also boasts a high-altitude plank road over 4,000 metres long.

In the past, there were only mountain paths blazed by axmen, herb diggers and Taoists. It was extremely difficult for tourists to climb to the top of the mountain.

To ensure tourists fully enjoy the enchanting sight of the mountain, the administration committee of the mountain invested more than 20 million yuan in 2002 to build a plank road along the face of the cliffs.

Mt. Sanqingshan: A Large-scale Geopark

Mount Sanqingshan National Park, in Jiangxi Province is now recognized as a part of the invaluable global heritage. The recognition was bestowed, three years after China made application for inclusion on UNESCO's world heritage list. The park stood out from 160 other nominated sites at this year's 32nd session of the World Heritage Committee. Here in China - the park's investiture into the global heritage is considered a major achievement.



Mount Sanqingshan National Park in Jiangxi Province is added to the World Heritage List as a natural site, bringing the total number of Chinese properties on the list to 37.

Mt Sanqingshan is a large-scale geopark. The natural landscapes here are captivating.

Here one finds the most complex and spectacular granite formations anywhere. These formations sometimes are referred to as the "Natural Museum of Granite".

Mount Sanqingshan reveals a continuous record over a billion years of geological evolution. The evolution of the area has given rise to a unique woodlands ecosystem. Some 23-hundred species of plants and over 17-hundred species of wildlife have been identified here, so far. Many of these specimens are rarely seen outside the area.



Mount Sanqingshan National Park in Jiangxi Province is added to the World Heritage List as a natural site, bringing the total number of Chinese properties on the list to 37.

Sanqingshan is an outstanding locale for geo=morphological study. And it presents inspiring natural perspectives for the artist. Even prior to the international recognition, Mount Sanqingshan was established as a major tourist attraction.

When news of the Heritage Committee's decision reached China, people from a village near the park gathered to celebrate with drums and gongs. The park's newly enhanced stature is expected to bring a major increase in tourism and additional support for the local economy.

Acceptance onto the World Heritage List, means conservation measure in the park will be strengthened, to ensure that Mount Sanqinghan survives for Posterity.

Jiangxi Mount Sanqingshan Added to World Heritage List

One more Chinese property was inscribed on the UNESCO's World Heritage List Monday during the 32nd session of the World Heritage Committee that is taking place in this eastern Canadian city.

The 21 members of the committee, during their Monday's afternoon session, agreed to add Mount Sanqingshan National Park in Jiangxi Province in central east China, on the World Heritage List as a natural site, bringing the total number of Chinese properties on the list to 37.

Mount Sanqingshan National Park, located in northeast Jiangxi Province, displays a unique array of forested, fantastically shaped granite pillars and peaks concentrated in a relatively small area.

Mount Sanqingshan's remarkable granite rock formations combine with diverse forest, near and distant vistas, and striking meteorological effects to create a landscape of exceptional landscape quality.

On Sunday, Tulou, the unique residential architecture of Fujian Province in southeastern China, was added to the World Heritage List as a cultural site.

Jiangxi Population and Environment

Jiangxi has a population of 42.2243 million people of 39 nationalities, of which Han takes over 99%, followed by Hui, She, Zhuang, Man, Yao, Gu, Tong, Chaoxian, Tujia and Buyi.
According to the statistics sample survey, the birth rate in 2002 was 1.474%, the death rate,0.602% and the natural growth rate, 0.872%.By the end of 2002, the total population in Jiangxi was 42.2243 million, an increase of 366,600 over the previous year.

Social welfare services have developed rapidly. By the end of 2002, there were 2,518 social welfare institutions in Jiangxi caring for 58,000 inmates. 171,000 people in need received fixed state relief funds at fixed time, some 444,000 other people received temporary relief funds. The lowest-living-standard system was set up across the province.

Environmental protection was further enhanced. there were 3,617 people working in environmental protection systems in the province. Setting up 80 environmental monitoring stations. 20 natural protection areas, 28 scenic spots and 50 forests were set up throughout the province. A total of 134 pollution prevention projects absorbed a combined investment of 102 million Yuan. There were 48 smoke/dust control zones in 19 cities , covering an area of 381.6 square kilometers, and there were another 29 zones covering 205.4 square kilometers where the noise pollution was under control.

Jiangxi Economic Development

In 2003, the provincial gross domestic product reached RMB 283 billion Yuan, up by 13.0% over the previous year. The primary, secondary and tertiary industry increased by 2.7%, 24.4% and 67.4% respectively compared with the previous year. Public ownership economy developed stably in reforming and opening up, whereas mixed and private ownership economy developed rapidly. The fiscal revenue went up continuously. Increasing by 21.9%, the fiscal revenue amounts to RMB 28.58 billion Yuan.

Agriculture Jiangxi is an agriculture-oriented province. Its main agricultural output is among the top ten of China. In 2003, value of agriculture output rose 2.7% to 84.163 billion yuan, and grain output totaled 14.503 million tons, fell 6.4%.

Industry Various industry systems have been set up, such as automobile, machinery building, electronics, chemical engineering, metallurgy, construction material, food, textile and medicine, etc. Some of the dominant industries and enterprises developed rapidly and became the backbone of Jiangxi's economy. In 2003, the provincial gross industrial increment reached RMB 84.9 billion Yuan, up by 18.4% over the previous year. In 2003, the value added of industries of independent accounting industrial enterprises in the province was RMB 44.031 billion Yuan, up by 21.0% over the previous year, among which the public-owned enterprises was RMB 19.92 billion Yuan, accounting for 45.2% of the total value; and the non-public owned enterprises was RMB 24.111 billion Yuan, accounting for 54.8%. Heavy Industry, with an increase of 20.1% to RMB 29.531 billion Yuan, developed faster than the light industry, which increased by 15.4% to RMB 14.499 billion Yuan.

Fixed Assets Investment The gross fixed assets investment reached RMB 138 billion Yuan in 2003 with an increase of 49.3%. The basic industry and infrastructure were further enhanced with an betterment of the investment environment. The construction of 69 major projects, which took RMB 58.934 billion Yuan, achieved remarkable success.

Domestic Trade The sales of consumer goods kept growing smoothly with a pattern of buyer's market. In 2003, the gross volume of retail was RMB 92.32 billion Yuan, 11.7% higher than in 2002. Subtracting inflation rate, the actual growth was 11.6%. The retail volume of consumer goods in city-level increased by 12.1% with a total of RMB 45.53 billion Yuan, and in rural area 11.4% to 46.79 billion yuan.

Foreign Trade and Economic Cooperation The assortments of exported commodities numbered 1193 ,were exported to 153 countries and regions. Since the registration of the first foreign-owned enterprise in Jiangxi in 1984, the number of foreign-invested enterprises has reached 2939 by the end of 2003. In 2003, the gross volume of imports and exports was US$2528 million, up 49.2% over 2002, with US$1505 million from exports, US$ 1022 million from imports. In 2003, $1664 million of foreign investment was virtually utilized and 759 projects of utilizing foreign investment were newly approved, with the contracted amount of foreign investment volume reaching US$2331 million. The amount of investment in the contracts of foreign engineering projects, labor co-operation and designing consultation was US$125.95 million, realizing US$148.25 million.

Finance and Insurance By the end of 2003, deposits in financial organs across the province totaled RMB 323.958 billion Yuan, 53.162 billion more than in 2002, up by 16.4%. Among the deposits, personal savings in both rural and urban households rose to RMB 201.545 billion Yuan, 30.828 billion more than the previous year, up by 15.3%. The credits held by the banks totaled RMB 254.528 billion Yuan, 40.776 billion more, by 19.1% up. In 2003, insurance income was RMB 6.9777 billion Yuan, up by 47.4%.

Jiangxi Education and Science

Educational work has made great progress. By the end of 2003, there were 31 universities and colleges, 22 adult institutes, 144 adult vocational schools. In 2003, 2562 postgraduate students were enrolled, leading the total number to 5711. Institution for higher education enrolled 141600 new students, total number increased to 358600. Among them, 47200 were graduates. Secondary-level education developed quickly with 155100 students in secondary vocational schools and 144000 students in senior secondary vocational schools. Compulsory education during the same period saw 2.2866 million students in junior secondary school, 1.2657 million children in primary schools and 633100 preschool children in nursery schools. Remarkable progress has also been made with adult education with 2311 students in adult-study institutions and secondary vocational schools respectively.

Since the foundation of People's Republic of China, Jiangxi has organized 16,000 scientific and technological projects of various forms, about 10,000 of which bore fruitful achievements. Totally, Jiangxi has won 88 national scientific and technological prizes and has been granted 5,256 patents from the some 11,000 applications. In 2003, employed workers in scientific & technological area in state-owned enterprises numbered 688,000, winning 3 state-level scientific & technological improvements and technological invention prizes as well as 58 province-level improvement prizes.Among them, there were 4 first-rate prizes, 37 second rate prizes and 84 third rate prizes. In the same period, 1,238 out of 2,434 patent applications were accepted, 247 being invention patents, 664 practical new pattern patents and 348 outer appearance design patents. More scientific & technological studies were conducted. Institutions engaged in technical trade numbered 521 and the gross investment with 2,721 contracts reached 830 million Yuan.

Jiangxi History

The archaeological studies in Xianren Cave in Wannian County suggest that, more than 10,000 years ago, during the New Stone Age, our forefathers labored, lived, and multiplied across the land of Jiangxi province today. The study of relics in the Shang Dynasty at Wucheng, Zhangshu City verifies that Jiangxi entered the Bronze Age more than 3,000 years ago, the same time with Central China.
During the Spring and Autumn Period , Jiangxi encompassed the territories of the States of Wu, Yue and Chu. Then, in the Warring States Period , Jiangxi was under the jurisdiction of the State of Yue. After Emperor Qin Shihuang unified China in 221 BC, Jiangxi became part of the Jiujiang Prefecture. At the beginning of the Western Han Dynasty , Jiangxi was renamed "Yuzhang Prefecture", which was changed into Hongzhou Area Command during the Sui Dynasty . In the 21st year of the Kaiyuan reign of the Tang Dynasty , Emperor Xuanzong divided the country into 15 "dao". Hongzhou was then the capital of the Jiangnan Xidao, short as Jiangxi. Eight prefectures, Hongzhou, Raozhou, Qianzhou, Jizhou, Jiangzhou, Yuanzhou, Fuzhou, and Xinzhou were placed under its jurisdiction. They formed the picture as Wang Bo described "Opulent prefectures spread out like fog in its immensity." in his "Pavilion of Prince Teng". The Yuan Dynasty set up provinces, hence the name Jiangxi province. The Ming Dynasty changed "dao" into "buzhenshisi", equivalent to a province. The Qing Dynasty set up Jiangxi province again, which remained the name since then.
Since ancient times, Jiangxi has been culturally advanced. Many talented natives have been taken to the national stage. These include Tao Yuanming of the Jin Dynasty; three of the eight most famous writers of the Tang and Song Dynasty -Ouyang Xiu, Zeng Gong and Wang Anshi ; poet and calligrapher Huang Tingjian, poet Yang Wanli, ci poet Jiang Kui, philosophers and educators Zhu Xi and Lu Jiuyuan, and the national hero WenTianxiang of the Song Dynasty; dramatist Tang Xianzu and scientist Song Yingxing of the Ming Dynasty; painter Zhu Da and railway engineer Zhan Tianyou of the Qing Dynasty, proletariat Wu Youxun and numerous general of the People' Liberation Army during the modern era. They have contributed precious spiritual wealth to Jiangxi.

Jiangxi Geography

Jiangxi province lies in southeast China and along the southern bank of the middle and lower reaches of the Yangzi River. At the latitude between 24o 29'14" and 30o 04' 44" N, and longitude between 113o 34'36" and 118o 28'58" E, Jiangxi borders Zhejiang and Fujian to the east, Guangdong to the south, Hunan to the west and Hubei and Anhui to the north.
Surrounded by mountains on three sides and facing the Yangtze River on the other, Jiangxi has rolling hills and broad plains. The land gradually tilts from south to north, leading to the largest fresh water lake in China, Poyang Lake, which forms a large, open basin.
Jiangxi is rich in mineral resources. Among the 150 proven minerals in the world, Jiangxi has documented more than 140. The reserves of 33 of them are among the top five in volume and quality in China. The reserves of nonferrous metals, precious metals, rare minerals, rare-earth minerals lead the country.
With a total length of about 18,400 kilometers, over 2400 rivers of various sizes run through Jiangxi. Of these, over 160 have water all year. The five major waterways are the Ganjiang, Fuhe, Xinjiang, Xiuhe and Raohe Rivers. The Ganjiang River winds south to north for 751 kilometers, covering a drainage area of 83,500 square kilometers. It covers such a large area that Jiangxi is called "Gan" for short. These five rivers all originate from the border mountains, wind through the foothills, run across the plains, moisten fertile lands, gather at Poyang Lake and empty into the Yangtze River.

Jiangxi is dotted with numerous lakes, of which Poyang Lake is the most famous. It stretches 170 kilometers from south to north, and 74 kilometers from east to west. Its shorelines run for 1,800 kilometers. During the flood season, the lake covers 3,841 square kilometers, and the wide expanse of misty Poyang Lake ranks the first among China's five largest fresh lakes. Its huge volume of water acts as a transfer station linking the five major rivers with the Yangtze River and then to the Pacific Ocean. It is a hub linking Jiangxi's river transportation with other provinces as well as a regulating center to the flow of water in the Yangtze River. Poyang Lake is an aquatic treasure house. The fertile area around the lake has established itself as "the Land of fish and rice".
Close to the Tropic of Cancer, Jiangxi has distinct season changes. Due to its special topography, it has short springs and autumns, lasting for only two months, and four-month winters and summers. The weather in spring is ever changing. A rainy season joins spring with summer. Summers are hot and dry, and winters are cold and dank with a short frost period. There is a difference of 5.5 degrees latitude between the southern and northern tips of the province. Consequently, the climate in northern and southern Jiangxi differs by one solar term. Jiangxi has a warm climate, with an annual average temperature from 16.2 to 19.7 degrees Celsius. The free frost period lasts from 241 to 304 days, and the annual sunshine averages from 1,473 to 2,077 hours. The province enjoys plentiful rainfall, with annual mean precipitation ranging from 1,341.4 to 1,934.4 millimeters. This makes Jiangxi a lead among all the provinces and autonomous regions in annual rainfall. The subtropical moist climate is favorable for agricultural development.

Jiangxi Introduction

There lies a fertile land in the middle and lower reaches of YangziRiver --- Jiangxi, a land green, dynamic with the tinges of spring.
Jiangxi has mild temperatures, abundant rainfall, distinct season changes and a short frost period. People here, cherishing their natural environment, maintain a 60% forest coverage --- the highest in China --- in the 167,000 square km area.
Beautiful mountains and clear waters feature the province. People are always advised to "enjoy the azaleas in the spring on Jinggang Mountain, seek the coolness in the summer at Lushan Mountain, go for adventure tours in the autumn at Sanqing Mountain and admire the migrating birds in the winter in Poyang Lake."
Jiangxi has many world-renowned spectacular mountains. The World Cultural Heritage, Lushan is a paradise for the tourists with its cool summer, snowy winter and billowing clouds and fog. The magnificent Jinggang Mountain, known both as the revolutionary cradle and a state scenic spot boasts lofty mountains, bold flowing waterfalls and it has multitudes of fascinating revolutionary relics. The province also has the Dragon and Tiger Mountain, known for its legends of the origin of Taoism as well as its beautiful scenery. Sanqing Mountain, though not as famous as the Huangshan Mountain, a World Cultural Heritage in Anhui Province, is actually more enchanting. The origin of the water supply for Hongkong, Sanbei Mountain lies in Jiangxi too.
There are over 2,400 rivers --- the Ganjiang River, Xinjiang River, Fuhe River and Raohe River --- winding across the province, nurturing intelligent people and their glorious culture and then finally pouring into Poyang Lake, the largest fresh water lake, hence forming the best ecological circle of China. Poyang Lake is the largest habitat for migrating birds in the world and a renowned protection zone of rare and endangered migrating birds as well. When winter comes, millions of birds of over 300 species, the white crane being the most famous, from all over the world, can be seen flying over the most beautiful and largest lake of China, singing their love for the land.
Jiangxi has given birth to outstandingly talented people generation after generation. Among them are: Tang Xianzu, known as the Shakespeare of the East, Song Yingxin, known for his "Tian Gong Kai Wu", a scientific work on agriculture and handicraft finished in 365 years ago, Wen Tianxiang, a national hero fearless of death for his kingdom's independence and three of the Eight Most Outstanding Poets and Writers in Tang and Song dynasties--Ouyan Xiu, Wang Anshi and Zeng Gong, etc. These names still shine today, revealing a land filled with talented people.
As for our ancient culture, the bronze relics, the most ancient academies of class learning and the distant and long-developed Taoism, which were illustrious in Chinese history, are always enumerated.
Jiangxi boasts a great reputation in Chinese revolutionary history. As the "hometown" of the Red Army and the People's Liberation Army, she witnessed the establishment of the first revolutionary base by the Communist Party of China, which unveiled a new epoch of the revolutionary career. Jiangxi was the home of the first socialist authority and it was there that the Long March started, leading to the success of the revolution.
Jiangxi is endowed with rich natural resources and abundant produce.
In English, china means porcelain, and the capital of porcelain, Jingdezhen, lies in Jiangxi Province. The porcelain made here is "white as jade, thin as paper, bright as a mirror" and sounds "like a chime". It has become a special cultural symbol collected by people all over the world.
Grain, cotton, tea and tangerines are abundantly produced in this beautiful, vast area. Combined together with modern farming methods, traditional local farming products, such as the black-bone chicken in Taihe, green tea in Wuyuan, tangerines in Xinfeng, flowers and plants in Dayu, beef cows in Gao'an, lean meat pigs in Dongxiang are all developing at full speed.
Jiangxi has rich mineral resources as nature so generously preserves her treasures there. The rich resources of each of "the seven gold flowers of Jiangxi" --- copper, tungsten, silver, tantalum, uranium, gold and rare-earth --- rank the first three in the country. The largest copper mine in Asia and the largest copper metallurgical center of China, the Dexing Copper Mine and the Guixi Smeltery are both in Jiangxi.
Jiangxi has witnessed remarkable developments in both productivity and social development in the past two decades' reform and opening to the outside world and it is still advancing with big strides. She is seeking new opportunities and implementing new strategies for further development in the tide of economic globalization and the ever-changing scientific and technological revolution.
Jiangxi plays a significant role in joining the South to the North and connecting the East and the West. Situated in the center of the Zhujiang Delta, Minnan Delta and Yangtze Delta, she claims an apparent geological advantage, which is highlighted by the convenient air, land and water transportation networks. Jingjiu Railway and Zhegan Railway run through the province, forming a "cross" frame; the highway system will be connecting the neighboring four provinces in two years and ships from the Jiujiang wharf can reach all the important harbors in the world. Telecommunications, mainly the program-controlled telephones, digital telecom, mobile networks and satellite communications cover the entire province.
The implementation of the opening policy and the betterment of the investment environment have attracted large amounts of foreign investments. There are more than 5,000 foreign enterprises from over 60 countries and regions investing in the province with a total amount of over 5 billion US dollars. Some world-renowned corporations, such as Ford Motors from the USA, Suzuki Corporation and Isuzu from Japan have already invested in Jiangxi, gaining large rewards. These investments showed great prospect. Jiangxi is promoting the industrialization and urbanization in an effort to establish herself into "a base to undertake the industrial transference from coastal areas, to provide high-quality agricultural products and a solid labor force as well as a 'backyard' for tourism."
The future of Jiangxi will be magnificent with her unflinchingly confident people and their unbending commitment to Jiangxi's progress. They are in high and vigorous spirits.
In the year 2001, Jiangxi, celebrating the new millenium, outlined the magnificent strategic objective for her development to build a developed Jiangxi in the near future. A surge of development is unfolding magnificently here.
The delicate patterns of tigers and birds carried by the bronze tools unearthed in Jiangxi tell people that this is a land that admires tigers and birds, the symbols of intelligence and courage. This is a land with great history, a land ready to create a bright future.

Jiangxi Culture Achievement

By the end of 2003, there were 76 performing groups, 113 cultural centers and mass art stations, 104 public libraries and 83 museums. There were 15 middle and short wave broadcasting stations, 10 radio transmission and rely towers, 12 TV stations and 436 TV transmission and relay towers in the province, with radio broadcasting available to 92.66% and TV broadcasting available to 94.49% of the total population.

2003 saw the population of 2,447 book, magazine, newspaper titles, with books and magazines published totaling 316.6 million copies and newspapers totaling 530.63 million copies. Under the guidance of "Five ones ", the production of spiritual civilization works was promoted, and many excellent cultural , art , broadcasting, film and television works won prizes home and abroad.




Pyrography is a method for decorating materials such as wood, leather, or glass by burning or scorching with a hot metal point. It was practiced by African, American Indian tribes and goes back to ancient Egypt. Chen Kejing, the renown artist from Nanchang, capital of Jiangxi Province, integrating pyrography with artistry of Chinese traditional painting and calligraphy, has created a unique style of art.

A Brief Introduction of Jiangxi

Located on the southern bank at the middle and lower reaches of Yangtze River, Jiangxi Province is adjacent to Zhejiang and Fujian Provinces in the east, Guangdong Province in the south, Hunan Province in the west, and Hubei and Anhui Province in the north.

Known as Gan in Chinese language abbreviation, Jiangxi covers a total area of 166,900 square kilometers and has a population of 43 million. With Nanchang as its capital, the province administers 11 cities which govern urban districts, and 99 counties.

A hinterland to Yangtze River Delta, Zhujiang River Delta, and Southeast Fujian Delta, Jiangxi is the only province that adjoins the three areas in China, and serves as the front to enter central China in the southeast coastal area.

Jiangxi enjoys a convenient transportation. Shanghai-Kunming and Beijing-Kowloon Railways cross the province. Six trans-provincial expressways have been put into operation. There are five civil aviation airports in such cities as Nanchang, Jiujiang, Jingdezhen, Ganzhou, and Ji'an, serving for dozens of domestic and international airlines.With all major arteries being converted to expressway, the mileage of expressways in the province total more than 2,200 kilometers. The five civil aviation airports have opened up dozens of domestic and international air routes. These expressways and air routes, together with crisscrossing railways, water ports in Nanchang and Jiujiang, have formed in the province a convenient water-land-air transportation network.

Jiangxi is gifted with abundant natural resources. There are more than 160 known minerals in the province, of which 53 are ranked among the top ten in the nation in terms of reserves and 12 toping the first. Copper, wolfram, uranium, tantalum niobium, rare earths, gold, and silver are known as "Seven Jiangxi Metal Flowers." Southern Jiangxi is known as the World Wolfram Capital and Rare Earths Kingdom. The Dexing Copper Mine is the largest of its kind in Asia. The Guixi Smeltery is China's largest copper smelting base.

Jiangxi possesses 94 industrial parks and three zones for export processing. Gifted with an advantageous geographic location, abundant natural resources and a good investment environment, Jiangxi is a hot place for domestic and overseas investment. More than 10,000 investors have established their businesses in the province. Foreign investments to the province have also remained in the first place for five consecutive years among the six provinces in central China.

Jiangxi is an ideal place both for living and business. Provincial forest coverage reaches 60.05 percent, ranking the second in China. Water area of the province is 25 million mu, placing the third in the nation. Jiangxi's fresh water quality is excellent and ranks the first in China. There are three national ecological model zones, five national nature reserves, 11 national scenic spots, 14 national forest parks, and 136 provincial natural reserves in the province. Blue mountains and green waters form an oasis where a harmonious and balanced development between humans and the nature is achieved.

Jiangxi is a cradle of the new China. The Nanchang Uprising which led to the birth of the Red Amy took place in Jiangxi on August 1, 1927. The Jinggang Mountains are the cradle of the Chinese revolution. The Chinese Soviet Republic's government was established in Ruijin, Jiangxi in 1931, and An'yuan is the birthplace of China's labor movements.

Jiangxi boasts beautiful scenery. Well-known tourist attractions include the world porcelain capital Jingdezhen, renowned Pavilion of Prince Teng, Lushan Mountain, a UNESCO World Cultural Heritage site, Longhu Mountain, The birthplace of Taoism, Sanqing Mountain, a gallery of fantastic rocks, Wuyuan, the most beautiful rural area in China, and Poyang Lake, the largest freshwater lake where gathers 95 percent of total population of white crane each winter.

At a new start point, Jiangxi is developing at an amazing speed. Entering the 21st Century, Jiangxi has insisted on applying scientific outlook on development, emphasizing on making innovations, establishing new businesses, and developing in a harmonious way. Taking ecological protection as its first priority, the province aims for a balanced and fast economic development. By the end of 2006, the economic performance in the province's industrial parks has doubled the volume it was two years ago, industrial added-value doubled what it was three years ago, revenues doubled in four years, GDP doubled in five years ago, and incomes of urban and rural residents doubled in six years time.

At present, there are nearly 700,000 students in more than 60 universities and colleges in the province. The urbanization rate in the province has reached 38.68 percent. Subsistence allowances and medical assistance have covered both urban and rural residents with special difficulties. Polices of cooperative medical care system, exemption of tuition and general fees in compulsory education, as well as special aid to the students, have been carried out throughout the province.