Gulangyu Island’s Colonial Era Architecture: A Journey into the Past
Xiamen, also known as Amoy, is a small but bustling city located in southern China that overlooks the Straits of Taiwan. With a population of over two and a half million people, Xiamen is considered small by Chinese standards but has always been an important trading port due to its advantageous geographical position.
Despite its modest size, Xiamen is a cosmopolitan city that has retained its multi-ethnic past. Visitors can observe the particular mix of European, Chinese, and Japanese architecture that is present throughout the city. A must-visit spot is the nearby small island of Gulangyu, which is known for its varied colonial architecture and Mediterranean climate.
Gulangyu has an interesting history that dates back to the mid-1800s when the British established their first concession on the island. Later on, the Japanese and Americans also took an interest in the island as a possible naval base. However, after the conquest of the Philippines in 1899, they abandoned the idea. Despite this, foreign powers continued to open consulates and trade offices in Xiamen. In 1902, a city council was elected, consisting of six representatives from both foreign and Chinese backgrounds. Fourteen nations opened representative offices, including Germany, France, Denmark, Austria, Norway, Sweden, Belgium, and the Philippines.
Today, Gulangyu is a tranquil island that bans cars and bikes, which helps to create a peaceful atmosphere. Visitors can hear only the sounds of the wind, trees, and the many pianos and organs that can be found on the island. In fact, Gulangyu holds a special record for having the most number of pianos per capita.
Xiamen and Gulangyu are unique destinations that offer a mix of history, architecture, and natural beauty. Visitors can enjoy the bustling city life in Xiamen and then take a short ferry ride to the peaceful island of Gulangyu to escape the hustle and bustle.
The photographs depict the intricate designs of Western-style structures prevalent on Gulangyu Island. These buildings, ranging from large mansions to simpler residences, reflect the impact of various foreign entities that have influenced the island’s architectural landscape over time.
Images of Gulangyu, Xiamen
Photos: Matteo Damiani
Topic: places to visit xiamen China, where to go in xiamen,what to see in xiamen,xiamen holiday, xiamen china
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Capturing the Beauty of Luoping: A Springtime Journey Through Yellow Rapeseeds and Dreamy Landscapes
Luoping County is located a mere 228 kilometers from Kunming, the capital city of Yunnan Province, and is in close proximity to Guizhou Province. It is a stunning area that boasts an array of natural beauty, particularly in the early spring season when the yellow rapeseeds are in full bloom.
Dominique Musorrafiti, a talented photographer, captured the picturesque landscape of Luoping using a range of film and camera equipment. She utilized a Lubitel 166+, a medium format camera, paired with Fuji Velvia100F 120mm film, as well as Redscale XR film, to capture the stunning blooms and unique charm of the area. The resulting images are breathtaking, offering a glimpse into the breathtaking beauty of Luoping County.
Luoping County in Yunnan Province, China is famous for its picturesque golden rapefields that bloom in early spring. These fields are a breathtaking sight, with vast stretches of bright yellow flowers as far as the eye can see. The yellow color of the rape flowers is so intense that it creates a shimmering golden sea that can be seen from a distance.
The blooming of the rapefields is a major tourist attraction in Luoping, attracting photographers and nature lovers from all over the world. During the peak season, visitors can take scenic walks through the fields and capture the beauty of the blooming flowers in their cameras. The golden rapefields provide an excellent backdrop for photography, with their bright color contrasting beautifully against the lush green mountain ranges that surround them.
In addition to being a visual delight, the rapefields also have significant ecological and economic benefits. Rape is a type of oilseed crop that is widely grown in Luoping for its oil, which is used for cooking, lighting, and manufacturing. The blooming of the rapefields also attracts a variety of pollinators, such as bees and butterflies, which play an important role in maintaining the local ecosystem.
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During 1946-47 the Great Famine hit Southern China, in particular Guangdong, Guangxi, and Hunan provinces, affecting tens of millions of people. At least 1,7 million were starved to death.
Only in Hunan, died 900.000 people. These images were taken in 1946.
During this period, the civil war between Kuomintang (Chinese Nationalist Party) and the Communist Party, was in full swing.
Every year, in Rongshui Miao Autonomous County, Guangxi, not too far from Liuzhou, local people celebrate the Chinese New Year with the 500-year-old tradition of horse fighting.
The rule is simple: two male horses fight against each other in a fight over a female. Over the years, fights become an important income for locals, attracting tourists from every part of China and criticism from the animal rights group.
Overloaded Peking is a documentary about Beijing and the Chinese modernization we did in 2001 (MDDM, abelvideo).
It features a long and interesting interview (15:32) with a young Jia Zhangke about cinema, changes in the young Chinese generations, modernization of the country, the internet, censorship, and much more.
In 2001, Jia Zhangke movies (along with many other Chinese directors’ works) were forbidden in China. Eventually, Jia Zhangke emerged as one of the most famous new Chinese directors. In the documentary appears also Zhao Tao (during Jia Zhangke’s interview) and Dj Gaohu. Please view the documentary at 480p, otherwise, the subtitles will be unreadable.
The Consequences of Blending Science and Superstition in Qigong
In the aftermath of the Gang of Four’s collapse, Qigong emerged as a means for China to rediscover its cultural identity, which had been severely tested by the Cultural Revolution’s catastrophic effects on the nation’s cultural and relational systems.
Seeking a unique path toward modernization, China attempted to fast-track scientific progress by blending unconventional science with superstition, ultimately leading to bizarre and damaging consequences in the long term.
From the late 1970s to the early 1990s, Qigong served as the focal point of China’s exploration into the boundaries of human potential through the development of extraordinary abilities (known as teyigongneng in Chinese). The Chinese government invested significant resources into various Qigong practitioners and self-proclaimed gurus, who capitalized on popular beliefs and an underdeveloped scientific community to advance a plethora of imaginative ideas, seminars, therapies, hospitals, clinics, and even peculiar military experiments.
China was wholly consumed by the Qigong craze until it was abruptly quashed. Nevertheless, before the ultimate tragedy of the Falun Gong—China’s most popular Qigong school until 1999—the history of these movements is marked by a series of eccentric episodes. In October 1999, the Chinese government declared Falun Gong a “heretical organization” that posed a threat to social stability.
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The 80s
In the ’80s and early ’90s Qigong presentations took place in front of a delirious audience. Beijing. People collectively preachingBeijing Beidahe, January 2, 1981. Zhan Zhuang postureIn 1981, China established the Chinese Qigong Science Research Council, qigong fever began to spread throughout the country. In the picture, a Qigong Troupe visited Britain.
1986
October 7th, 1986. Chinese Antarctic expedition team members practicing QigongDuring the winter of 1989, Ditan Park in Beijing was a favorite place to practice Qigong. At that time other mystical beliefs were combined with the practice of Qigong. Buddhist Lohan GongWinter 1989. Qigong transformed itself from martial art to spiritual treatment of incurable diseasesAcupuncture treatment for Bulgarian ambassador performed by Zhu Heting. He claimed to treat diabetes, Parkinson’s disease, paralysis, cancer, and cataracts.1989, August 31st. A six years old kid practicing qigong to lose weight1989, January 5th. A Qigong master in a Beijing hotel treating an American English teacher
Weird Science
Qigong Science Research Association of Guangdong Province developed the “Electronic Qigong Master”. Allegedly treated cervical hypertrophy, muscle strain, arthritis, headaches, palpitations, myopia, insomnia, and other 20 kinds of diseases.1986, November 15th. In Sichuan, local scientists developed a system to mimic the process of qigong practice1987, April 7th. Qigong began to be uncontrollable. Magic and science started to go hand in hand. Shanghai Institute of Chinese Medicine practiced anesthesia to patients for surgery with qigong1987, January 10th. A qigong master treats patients using qigong hypnosis1987, November 30th. All the ordinary magic tricks began to be used by qigong masters in order to demonstrate their powers: swallowing glass, curving spoon, mind control, instant healing, etc.1992, December 28th. Chinese dragon magic.1992, Harbin. In this period the blockbuster books were Qigong manuals.1995, May 24th. Liaoning Province Qigong Medical Association. Qigong has begun to replace traditional medical treatment with qigong1995, May 24th. Li Zhenghong teaching qigong rehabilitation for diabetes.
Zhang Xiangyu
Miaofengshan Advanced Qigong training, Beijing. The pot on the head should converge the universe force to strengthen the telepathy
In 1990, a woman master of Qi Gong, Zhang Xiangyu, pushed its influence to a peak with her performance in Beijing. Millions of “pilgrims” gathered from several provinces to see her and caused great traffic jams. When Zhang waved her hand out of a window of the third floor of the hotel, the “pilgrims” in the street cheered. Zhang claimed that she could talk with extraterrestrial beings and was able to cure every disease. She treated her patients with methods similar to those of witchcraft and demanded large amounts of money from them. Many patients became ill under her treatment and some of them died. In August, Zhang was arrested and accused of cheating. The exposition of her swindle weakened the cult of Qi Gong. Zhang was convicted in 1993 (from Paranormal in China, Wu Xianghong, March 1995, Csicop.org)
Wang Lin
Wang Lin, is a phony Qigong master, became famous for Qigong in the 1990s and he has been exposed by Beijing News in July 2013. Then, he fled to Hong Kong and he claimed to be the Chinese Snowden. He has been charged with Illegal medicine practice, bigamy, fraud, tax evasion, bribery, gambling, and illegal possession of firearms.
Pang Ming
Pang Ming (aka Pang Minghe) developed a medical system called Wisdom Healing Qigong (Zhineng Qigong, 智能气功) during late 1970. It was a synthesis of many supposed ancient lineages of Chinese healing practices.
Zhineng Qigong Instant Healing
Sun Chulin
Sun Chulin claimed to be able to change shape to materials with the power of the mind. She was considered by many as a living proof of the existence of SA. According to many Chinese sites, she was capable of accelerating the biological development of organisms by thousands of times.
The second part of the video is interestingly enough: Sun engaged in a sort of mystical ecstasy to grow a seed.
Qigong Master: Demonstration Of Power
The supernatural powers of Zhang Baosheng (arrested for fraud in 1995) <>
Jinyun Mountain Taoist Association had 30,000 followers, including business tycoon Jack Ma, the founder of Chinese e-commerce firm alibaba.com, and pop singer Faye Wong. The aim is to restore kidney functions through massage. Li Yi, the founder of the Jinyun Mountain Taoist Association had been the focus of a police probe over an allegation of raping a college student. Li is the latest “grandmaster” exposed as a fraud
Abbot Lee Shao-Long Li of Jinyun Mountain Taoist Association during a lecturing. This year its supposed magical properties have been questioned and were accused of fraud
Zhang Wuben, a once-popular Chinese diet therapist, was found by officials in May to have faked his nutritionist qualifications
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