Why Chengdu? It holds mighty strategic status in the Middle Kingdom era, but now? People seem to go to see the pandas, but what else? I really didn’t know it would be such a vibrant dragon city – mythical, powerful, monstrously alive while seeming to sleep. I spent 4 days in Chengdu in November and, as always, I had a guided day tour to see … Continue reading Dragon City – Chengdu in Spicy Sichuan

My first view of Fenghuang, and I was entranced. Fenghuang means Phoenix – that mythical bird that is eternal – arising from the ashes if destroyed by fire, coupling with the dragon to become a complete ying and yang. The phoenix is forever, and Fenghuang seems aptly named. Fenghuang is a famous ancient watertown that has called to me for years.  Pictures of this ancient … Continue reading Phoenix City – Timeless Fenghuang

I always like to be back in Hefei on the USTC campus in the fall – my home in China.Without really planning, I found Chairman Mao came along with me – in the Mao biography I was reading, in the Mao leadership case study for my students, in the images still common around town, in some ways the locals keep his memory alive.It is so … Continue reading Me and Mao in Hefei 2019

Ancient Qiboa Zhen – Seven Treasures Town seems hidden inside ultra-modern Shanghai.  I’ve seen a lot of the city of Shanghai, but not this little gem. Like other ancient towns, it is a square centered over a canal, with iconic bridges and weeping willows, striking doors and specialty shops. A long and busy shopping street runs down the middle. Near the end, I find a … Continue reading Charming Qibao Hidden in Shanghai

Central to the mega-city of Xi’an is a mammoth and ancient city wall.  There is so much to explore, one way to set a program in the city is the delineate between what is inside and outside the great wall of Xi’an. Outside the wall – on the outskirts of the city – is the stunning Terracotta Warrior exhibit that is almost synonymous with Xi’an … Continue reading Xi’an Inside and Outside the Wall