China

Being one of the richest countries, both culturally and historically, the China travel video is hours of captivating landscapes, ancient splendor, interesting traditions and beautiful people. DVD. 100 Minutes. With an eye on the future, more Chinese are reaching out to the people and culture of the West. They have opened their nation to the gaze of visitors as more Westerners are touring this remarkable republic for themselves. This beautiful video visits the national capital of Beijing, a powerhouse tempered by parks and the magnificent Forbidden City. Make a stop in Suzhou, the Venice of the Far East, and Hangzou and the West Lake, where Chinese newlyweds spend their honeymoons. Marvel at the physical and historical expanse of The Great Wall, built by human muscle and stretching nearly four thousand miles over mountains and desert. At X'ian, see the famed Clay Army of terra cotta warriors that guarded the tomb of China's first emperor. Visit Guilin, a picturesque river valley known for its artistic inspiration. Make stops in Guangzhou and Shenzhen before visiting Shanghai, a magical megalopolis known as the world's most energetic city. Finally, travel to Hong Kong, one of the most thrilling urban centers with the most beautiful skyline on Earth. Extra Features: Chinese Opera: Arias & Acrobats - Acrobatics, mime and music tell stories of cultural heritage. The Dowager & The Last Emperor - An intriguing glimpse at Ancient Chinese hierarchy in the Forbidden City. Shanghai: City With A Past - A fascinating East-meets-West political history The Li River: A Fantasy Landscape - Rising mists join heaven and Earth at these nature-sculpted banks. Traditional Chinese Medicine & Acupuncture - The healing power of herbs, seeds, roots, and the ancient art of acupuncture. Beijing Sights: Through the Eyes of History - The historical and cultural significance of the Great Wall, The Forbidden City, and Tiananmen Square.

Globe Trekker Video. China is the third largest country in the world and, with more than a billion people, it is home of 20% of the world population. While one of the oldest civilizations, its future will undoubtedly shape the 21st century? Traveller Justine Shapiro explores the traditional South West of China, the autonomous region of Guangxi, and the provinces of Guizhou, Yunnan and Sichuan, while Megan McCormick journeys though Central China, from Shanghai to the Yellow Mountains, and from the Yangzi River to Xian, the ancient capital of China. Zay Harding completes the tour traveling through the four provinces of South East China from Guanzhou to Nanchang. Along the way? $_$_START_LIST ? Attend a traditional Long Horn Mio ceremony and listen to their amazing singing. ? Visit the Huangguoshu Waterfalls, the largest in Asia. ? See the endangered Giant Panda. ? Visit a silk factory in Suzhou, the silk capital of China, and attend the temple fair celebrating the end of the silk harvest. ? Walk among the 8,000 terracotta warriors built to guard to tomb of China's first emperor, Emperor Chin. Approximately. 3 hours $_$_END_LIST

DVD. Bennett-Watt Productions. Featuring Beijing, Tiananmen Square, The Forbidden City, Temple of Heaven, tai chi chuan, Summer Palace, Great Wall, Xi'an Terracotta Warriors, Guilin, Yangshuo City Market, Hong Kong, world's longest open-air escalator, Symphony of Lights, Hangshou & Shanghai.

DVD. 7 Days. 52 Minutes. China's Imperial City is located in the centre of its ancient Middle Kingdom, a gigantic and inscrutable empire beyond the Great Wall. The Imperial City is entered through the Gates of Heavenly Peace. After seven years of construction, Ming Emperor Zhu Di moved into his newly-established palace complex in which more than 8,000 people lived in almost 1,000 rooms. The palace served as both a residential and governmental seat to the emperors of the Ming and Qing Dynasties. A stone's throw away from the old Summer Palace is the Garden of Harmonious Unity that was the favorite garden of the Emperor's household who retreated to its cool lakeside shores during the humid months of summer. Close to Badaling the Great Wall Of China extends majestically across misty mountains. It is the largest Man-made structure in the world and was erected to protect the country from invasion from the North. The gigantic wall represented the division of two very different cultures.On one side the Central Asian Nomads and on the other the highly developed civilization of the emerging Chinese Empire. Shanghai is a Gigantic City and a meeting point of both east and west. The shoreline is without a doubt the city's main focal point and is a combination of past, present and future and contains the historic monuments and eye catching buildings of a great city. Famous explorer Marco Polo referred to Suzhou as the `Venice of the East', a city that is particularly famous for its gardens. Many of its extremely elegant buildings are remnants of a glorious past. Yunnan?s most famous site is the unique Stone Forest Of Shi Lin, a forest of rock that extends for 27,000 hectares. Hong Kong is a city of the superlative with glimmering skyscrapers that seem to take root in the sky and one elegant building after another with shining glass and hi-tech facades. China is a world within a world!

DVD. World Destinations. 27 Minutes. A journey though China is an experience for the real traveler. It is a trip of a lifetime, with magnificent beauty.

VHS. Your journey begins at one of China's most imposing landmarks, the Great Wall - the only man-made object on Earth that can be seen from space with the naked eye. Beijing, your next destination, is on a scale that matches the Great Wall's, for it's home to some 13 million people. Next you will set sail down the Grand Canal, the largest man-made waterway in the world, and visit the Temple of Hell, where tourists take good-natured "tests" to see if their souls are worthy of heaven. China travel videos In Hong Kong, you will travel to the top of Victoria Peak, and your visit ends as you watch beautiful birds migrate to the wetlands of the New Territories. 52 minutes.

DVD. Globe Trekker Video. In the 21st century China's population reached 1.3 billion making it the most populous country in the world. Presently, there are 34 million Chinese living overseas. The migration of Chinese communities across the world means that nearly every country has a Chinatown... In this special edition of Globetrekker Chinatown, Lavinia Tan, Justine Shapiro and Megan McCormick travel worldwide to explore the magic and mystery of Chinatowns across the globe. Lavinia Tan begins the journey in Malaysia and Singapore where overseas traders led the earliest migrations of Chinese people. Then it's off to Lima to trace the history and influence of the Coolie trade on Peruvian culture. The journey continues from there to the United States, where Justine Shapiro visits San Francisco and learns about the Chinese participation in the Gold Rush of 1849. Meanwhile Megan McCormick explores New York's Lower East Side, home to the largest Chinatown in the Western Hemisphere. After a short trip to London's Soho, Lavinia Tan ends this journey with a visit to Hong Kong exploring the world famous film industry and the 21st century migration of Chinese back to their homeland. Along the way... Visit one of Penang's five famous clan temples. Try a Chinese spin on the traditional Peruvian dish, guinea pig. Learn traditional kung fu from Hong Kong martial arts actors. Customize your fortune cookies at San Francisco's Golden Gate Fortune Cookie Factory.

DVD. Terra Mystica. 26 Minutes. The Great Wall of China, a combination of many walls, extends for 1,500 miles and winds across Northern China from Gansu Province to Hebei Province on the Yellow Sea and was constructed as a defence against the northern nomads. Although it was to be of little military significance, the Great Wall is a monument to human endeavour and relentless achievement. A meandering man-made structure seems to connect all of China's endless horizons and cloak them in the mystique of an unseen invader struggling to overcome an invisible force in a land of inscrutable color, diversity, culture and very real militaristic might.

DVD. Vista Point. 26 Minutes. The Qing emperors knew exactly where to shelter during Peking's hot summer months: in the Valley Of Coolness, at that time a beautiful forested river valley two hundred and fifty kilometres north east of Peking. In former Rehe, today's Chengde, is the old summer residence of the Manshu Dynasty that took more than a century to construct. The Forbidden Palace and its park and gardens are now open to the public. Just as in Peking the emperor went about his official business in the southern front hall with the royal living quarters situated in the rear section of the complex. The huge garden with its many ponds and bridges is encircled by a ten kilometre wall beyond which are several large valleys. The garden covers five hundred and sixty hectares and is the largest Imperial park complex in China: a unique architectural work of art. The temple monastery of Xumi-Fushou-Miao is one of the most impressive buildings in the city. Translated, the temple's name is, "Happiness And Longevity Of The Summer Hill". The temple was built in 1780 to mark the visit to China of a senior Tibetan religious dignitary, the sixth Panchen Lama, and is a replica of what was his own monastery in Tibet. The Mahayana Pavilion is the centre of Buddhist religious belief, namely, Sumeru Mountain. Thus the five-storey building is located in the middle of an architectural mandala. The magnificent opulence of the Pavilion was a reflection of China's vast wealth. Each one of the architectural elements that are situated close to the Mahayana Pavilion adhere to the disciplined structure of the Buddhist Universe. In the 18th century China had become the greatest and most prosperous Empire in the world. The magnificent summer residence of the Qing Emperor and its surrounding buildings are a glorious and remarkable demonstration of ultimate power.

DVD. Passport to Adventure In China's capital, Mark Jennings and Julie Conover hop on a pedicab to take a look at life in the old section of the city. Just outside Beijing, the country's most enduring symbol, The Great Wall tumbles over the horizon. The towering pinnacles of Southern China have inspired artists for centuries and the rhythm of life on the Li River is slow and melodic - water buffalo linger in a stream, while families work in verdant rice fields. The peaks of the region hide numerous caves, some that have been turned into Disneyland-like attractions, while others offer pristine views of the patchwork countryside. In the backpacker's mecca of Yangshou, Mark &Julie meet fishermen with an ingenious method of doing their job.

DVD. Global Treasures. 10 Minutes. Great Wall of ChinaThe Great Wall of China, a combination of many walls, extends for 1,500 miles and winds across Northern China from Gansu Province to Hebei Province on the Yellow Sea and was constructed as a defence against the northern nomads. Although it was to be of little military significance, the Great Wall is a monument to human endeavour and relentless achievement, a meandering Man made structure that seems to connect all of China's endless horizons. Some of its towers served as the soldiers' living quarters and also played an essential role in communicating messages. The advance of hostile troops was signalled with large fires and cannon shot and any relevant military information was then communicated from tower to tower until it reached a fortress close to the capital of Beijing.

DVD. Alternate Routes. 30 Minutes. This ancient city surrounded by incredible natural beauty has much to offer a young student and a backpacker. They check out the nearby town of Yangsoo, visit a legendary hot springs, take a bike ride through the cone shaped mountain ranges and climb through a vast labyrinth of mud caves. Experience the rush of traveling the world for the first time with a crew of international back-packers, ages 16 - 22 on their quest for adventure, romance and the perfect moment. A variety of hosts from around the globe and the young people they hook up with on location are relentless in their pursuit of fun (and don't forget that culture, mate!) American girls explore Rome, Brits take on Thailand and things get wild when the Aussie's arrive in Copenhagen. Five continents, Unlimited Adventure. Take the alternate route, dude.

DVD. Passport to Adventure A Yangtze cruise passes through the magnificent Three Gorges section where the construction of the world's largest dam will forever change this mighty river. Hosts Mark Jennings &Julie Conover experience a traditional way of life on pea pod boats with trackers , wiry guides who navigate the tributaries of the Yangtze in long wooden boats, fending off the cliffs with bamboo poles. In the City of the Ghosts, statues of demonic giants tower over the town of Fengdu waiting for the day when the waters of the Yangtze will wash over their feet. In the delta region, Mark &Julie join the half million locals who get around on bikes to tour the countryside, and explore quaint Suzhou, where intricate silk embroidery is the pride of the city. Bustling Shanghai provides a first hand look at modern China as it collides with it's own ancient culture.

DVD. Global Treasures. 10 Minutes. Known as the Venice of the Far East, Lijiang is an historic old Chinese town in the northwest province of Yunnan. It was the centre of the Naxi, a Tibetan-Tobirmanic nation that had an impressive and unique culture. Dayan, Lijiang's old town, contains an intriguing variety of canals and waterways. It developed at the beginning of the 12th century, during the Late Song epoch. The picturesque centre of the old town of Dayan is an architectural jewel. Numerous streams and three rivers flow through the historic part of the town and there are several beautiful stone bridges that date back to the time of both the Ming and Qing dynasties. For over 470 wonderful years of the Yuan, Ming and Qing dynasties each of the Naxi rulers came from the Mu family and for more than twenty-two generations life in and around Lijiang was led by this family until in 1723 the Qing Dynasty appointed a new government, thus the Mu era came to an end.

DVD. Nature Wonders. 10 Minutes. Unlike the hustle and bustle of the nearby city of Guilin, in the Guangxi region situated in the heart of China, the landscape that follows the Lijiang River has a rural and idyllic atmosphere. Rural life here is blessed with beautiful scenery, and the landscape around Guilin is synonymous with the magnificence of the legendary Middle Empire. Numerous stalactites and stalagmites lie within the caves of the region's impressive mountains. Some of the caves, such as the Reed Cave, have in recent years, been open to the public. Striking precipices and rock needles unite in a stunningly beautiful panorama full of glorious mystique. Here both wind and water have created a truly remarkable mountain world. In daytime, the gravel banks along the shores of the Lijiang are frequented by farmers who lead their buffalo to drink from the river. The local cormorant fishermen are an even more exotic sight. They use captive water birds to attract fish and because their necks are secured to their master, they are forced to submit their catch to him! It is not surprising that due to the overwhelming beauty of the surrounding mountains, this section of the Lijiang River is one of the most impressive natural landscapes in the whole of China.

DVD. On Tour. 26 Minutes. Jagdi, in the south of China, is the starting point for a journey on the Lijiang River.Like a green silk ribbon, the river winds 83 kilometres through lush countryside from which unusual cone-shaped mountains suddenly appear from the plains. The view scans across to Pagoda Mountain, lingers for a moment on Hole Mountain, and then moves across to Picture Mountain.Without warning, the vase-shaped cliffs and green rocks of the radiant Lotus Summit come into view. In the foreground, there are light green rice fields, extensive bamboo groves and lush orange plantations.During their lunch break, women sit at their noisy sewing machines while the men enjoy smoking their pipes.An idyllic, picturesque landscape in which the hands of time tick slowly by. Finally, Yangshou, in which numerous takeaways tempt with exotic delicacies and where, outside each establishment, pots and cages indicate what's on the menu! In spite of their arduous rural life, the local people are happy and contented, a feeling also experienced by those who visit this amazing region.

DVD. Vista Point. 26 Minutes. After four hundred and sixty-six years, Portugal handed back the city of Macau to China. It is small and museum-like, a fine example of colonial Portugal on the South China Sea. The Fortaleza Do Monte is a typical Portuguese fortified complex strategically located on a hill above the old cathedral in the heart of the city. Its many old canon and mighty fortress walls are reminders of those times when invasion was a constant threat. The old centre of the city is the triangular Largo Do Senado, Senate Square. Its wonderful colonial buildings with their light-coloured facades were built at the end of the 19th century and completely renovated in the final decade of the 20th. Macau's largest Buddhist temple, Kun Iam Tong, dates back four hundred years to the Ming Dynasty when its original foundations were built. Beyond its main gate just off a busy street in the north of the city, is a peaceful oasis of silence and contemplation, a mystic place in which stone lions, golden Buddhas and all who visit are surrounded by serene, aromatic wisps of smoke. The beautiful Jardim Lou Lim Ioc Park is situated in the northern, less touristy business district of the city. It was designed in the 19th century by a wealthy Chinese trader, Lou Kau. This marvellous oasis is an idyllic setting with a lotus pond, rocks, grottos and waterfalls. Excursions are available on restored motorised junks that leave from the City's harbour several times a day. Taipa is the largest of the two islands that belong to Macau. The tangled and narrow alleys in the centre of Vila Taipa abound with rural character and Portuguese street signs are painted on azulejus. The island's shops and light-coloured houses would be equally at home in Portugal. Although the Macau of today has much contemporary flair it continues to enjoy a rich colonial inheritance that is well worth seeing.

DVD. Global Treasures. 10 Minutes. Once the summer residence of the Chinese Qing Emperor, Chengde is full of historical significance. Construction of the spacious and exquisite palace lasted almost throughout the 18th century. In 1792 this architectural masterpiece was finally completed and in addition to this spacious building several monasteries and temples were also built, the `Eight Outer Temples'. Pule Si, `The Temple of Universal Joy', is situated in the middle of the sanctuaries? Eastern section. The "Eight Outer Temples" symbolize various Chinese ethnic groups. Those who were loyal to the emperor were duly honoured within this temple area. Thus, numerous characteristic, cultural and traditional elements of various of the country's regions were incorporated into both art and architecture. The "Temple of Universal Joy", Pule Si, and the relatively remote sanctuary of Shuxiang Si, respectively represent the North and South of the Chinese Empire. The main administrative building within the Pule Si Temple is the circular Pavilion Of The Dawn, Xuguang Ge and is a replica of the Heaven Temple in Beijing Washing Bat Hill, to which there is a chair lift, is close to the settlement. The architecture of the Heaven Altar in Beijing was studied extensively several years before construction of the Pule Si Temple. In 1749, Emperor Qianlong ordered that the temple be extended. In Chengde, profound symbolism was also important. The location, extension and decoration of the buildings were designed to create a perfect harmony. In the 18th century China had become the greatest and most prosperous empire in the world. The magnificent summer residence of the Qing Emperor and surrounding buildings such as the Pule Si Temple illustrate a glorious and remarkable demonstration of ultimate power.

DVD. Global Treasures. 10 Minutes. Puning Si is one of eight splendid monasteries and temples that are located north east of the emperor's summer residence of Chengde in the Chinese province of Hebei. During the 18th century Manshu Emperor Kangxi ordered the construction of the Great Palace and its surrounding Eight Outer Temples. Puning SI, the `Temple of Universal Peace', was built between 1755 and 1758. The area was divided into two architecturally different sections and because the temple was constructed during the time of an important military event, its fa?ade conformed to traditional Chinese Han design. Its architecture was meant to symbolise China's power over the feared Mongolian Dshungars. The Mahayana Pavilion represents the centre of Buddhist religious belief, namely, Sumeru Mountain. Thus the five-storey building is located in the middle of an architectural mandala. Several small halls and terraces surround the impressive pavilion that is one of the greatest examples of its kind. Each one of the architectural elements that are located close to the Pavilion adhere to the disciplined structure of the Buddhist Universe.

DVD. Global Treasures. 10 Minutes. The magnificent temple of Putuo Zongsheng Miao lies in front of the beautiful mountains and hills that surround Chengde, a town located about 250 km. north east of Beijing. The temple belongs to the so-called 8 Outer Temples of China's former Summer Palace. The so-called Red Terrace is the main building of the Putuo Temple. It is an impressive and majestic building that is located on top of a 17m high terrace. Putuo Zongsheng Miao consists of around forty halls and buildings, many of which served as the setting for great ceremonies and official functions. Only on rare occasions were foreign guests, such as the English Legation in the year 1793, allowed to visit the Summer Palace and its 8 Outer Temples. Of course, today, foreign visitors are very welcome and Chengde is one of China's most popular tourist attractions.