POLISH

CHINA 2004




Guilin is in the south China Guangxi province.


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Breath taking views around Xianping.


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High temperature and humid air just provoked me to take refreshing bath.


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Around Yangshuo there were plenty of big butterflies, which looked as flying birds.


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Harvest of peanuts.


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Buddhist monastery.


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In China the dead are buried in family graves near their households.


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A round grave somewhere in mountains near Xianping.


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Moon hill.


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The Yungang Grottoes, Shanxi Province, with their 252 caves and 51,000 statues. Represent 5th and 6th century. They are on the world heritage list of UNESCO.


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For Buddhist these statues are still the place of worship.


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After a prayer and ritual the bunch of incenses is left in front of the statue.


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A statue 17m high.


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I am standing on a foot of the bodhisattva to show the size of the statue.


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In the sculptures there are elements of Hinduism.


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Streets of the historic city Pingyao.


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Pingyao


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Pingyao was built in 8 century BC, but its present day look owes to the builders from 14 century AC.


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Funeral procession - the coffin is covered by flowers and the widow is carried in the litter behind.


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Roofs of Pingyao - in the picture there is a tower of a church which is very rarely seen in China.


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The game has different names here, there are a few of them: Ma Jong, Mah Jong, Mah Jongg, Man Chu, Mah Diao, Ma Chong, Mah Chong, Pung Chow, Ching Chong, Kong Chow, Mah Deuck, Mah Cheuk, Ma Chiang, Pe Ling, Lung Chan, Mah Lowe, Baak Ling, Chinese game of four winds.


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In the Middle Kingdom computers are very popular but in banks, shops people still use an abacus.


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A barber in Beijing.


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One of the countless bike services in Beijing.


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There is always one kilometer queue to enter the mausoleum of Mao in Tiananmen square in Beijing.


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The main entrance to 'Forbidden city'.


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Now a new block flat design builds characteristic pinnacle on the roof.


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Harbin is the first bigger town south of Russian border, therefore Russian influence is very noticeable.


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An orthodox church of St. Sophia in Harbin.


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Harbin. Except Russian architecture there are as well many symbols of the USSR.


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Shanghai is very modern city but old hutongs alternate with glass skyscrapers.


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Shanghai.


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An evangelical church in Shanghai.


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Shanghai.


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Shanghai before 5:00 a.m. and the sunrise is teeming with life. Some fly a kite and some exercise.


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Very early in the morning (6:00 am) people practice taiji.


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Early morning the main shoping street in Shanghai is filled with exercising Chinese.


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Other people prefer dancing than taiji.


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The items used during exercising taiji are a fan and sword.


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Pagoda forest consist of 243 stupas and it's around 1km from Shaolin monastery.


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Shaolin monastery reminded me construction site.


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Shaolin monastery reminded me construction site.


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My walk along the Chinese great Wall, unfortunately not the famous one i didn't reach there.


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POLISH