2. Photographed by Jair (Yair) Moreshet 2006 Music: The Jasmine Flower song played on the traditional Chinese instrument Erhu (China)

3. The first Gate Building of the Forbidden City

5. The throne of the last emperor in the Forbidden City

6. Beijing: Ascending to the Temple of Heaven

7. Beijing: The historical Temple of Heaven.

9. Temple of Heaven: The typical current usage by Beijing citizens. (The majority of Chinese don’t believe in any organized religion, anyway.)

10. …however, if you are an anxious pedestrian in the Hutong district of Beijing and feel an urge for an immediate support, this niche is available for you off the side walk for self-service…

11. In the Hutong district of Beijing: The gardens of a (historical) residence of a Mandarin.

12. Beijing: The classical Chinese opera

15. Xian: The Wild Goose Pagoda of the 7 th century

17. Xian: A modern park next to the Wild Goose Pagoda (in the background).

18. Xian: A governmentally owned and operated factory for Classical Chinese furniture & decor. They do negotiate prices, though, as a part of the trend toward a “Market Economy”

19. Xian: The local opera

20. The Buddha in Leshan is the biggest in the world. It was carved in the mountain throughout the 8th century. It faces the river to protect against repeated floods.

21. Chengdu: In the Wenshu Monastery

27. Chengdu: The Old City

28. Chengdu, the Old City: The tea ceremony is played continuously behind the window of a tea store.

30. Chengdu, the Old City: The Sichuan opera.

32. Shanghai: The entrance to the market place surrounding the 16 th century Yu Yuan gardens

34. Shanghai: The 16 th century Yu Yuan gardens

35. Shanghai

37. Suzhou - Grand Canal and City Gate

38. Suzhou: the Humble Administrator’s Garden

40. Zhu Jiajiao village -- the local community’s temple (Taoist)

41. The “Mighty” Yangtze River, which is actually rather Muddy and Somber

42. A lovely secondary tributary to the Yangtze that is going to disappear as a consequence of the Yangtze giant dam project (the largest in the world)

44. A historical costumes and minorities show

47. Fengdu is called the “City of Ghosts” because its temples are filled with statues of demons

50. Guilin

51. Yangshuo

52. In the Yangshuo Bazaar

53. By the Li River, farmer family members at their rice field in their last effort after sunset

55. Li River after sunset: A traditional fisherman on a bamboo barge / boat is doing a highly efficient job using a kerosene lantern to attract fish and cormorant birds to catch them for him. (This Li River scenery appears in many Chinese paintings, and even on the current 2 Yuan money bill.)

57. Guangzhou (the historical Canton) -- a typical alley

58. Guangzhou -- the Temple of Six Banyan Trees