Wuhan Botanical Garden

Wuhan Botanical Garden, one of the several principal gardens in China, covers an area of about 70 hectares. More than ten landscapes including special gardens and beautiful horticulture spots have been formed these years. they are Aquatic Plant Garden, Rare Endangered Plant Garden Chinese Gooseberry Garden, Ornamental Garden ,Tree Garden, Pine and Cypress Garden, Bamboo Garden and so on. There are always so many kinds of flowers blooming almost over the whole year, and we can see various interesting cheap runescape power leveling strange and rare species growing vigorously in the large greenhouse, also a pleasure green overflowing around the Center Lawn, Moreover, many sorts of tourism facilities are available here and there. Up to present about 4,000 species have been introduced or cultivated. Since spring and fall coming, some magnificent exhibitions of famous flowers would be regularly held in the garden . You can say here has been getting into a real plant kingdom in which herbs and bushes and arbors flourish harmoniously with birds frolicking. WBG has gradually developed into the biggest germplasm reservation center of Central China and biodiversity protection base of north subtropical flora in China. 　　In order to promote its scientific research level, WBG enhanced series of cooperation with domestic and foreign institutes and botanical gardens in the fields of science and research intelligence communicating, teaching, staff training and symposium organizing, and established long term relations with other 44 countries and regions in seed exchange, technique cooperation, professional education and culture communication. These obviously have a robust virtue circle on WBG's research and development and consequently improve its reputation and influence in the world. 　　WBG has made excited achievement in science knowledge popularization, The number of pop-science tourists reaches to 300,000 every year, thereby it has been honored the National Pop-science Education Base, Juvenile Pop-Science Education Base, and technology, indoctrinating patriotism and protecting the environment by the Wuhan city and Hubei province governments. 　　Ever since the establishment of WBG, more than forty new varieties of economic fruit trees, landscape afforesting and medicine plants have been selected or bred. The garden has been contributing great to the society. 　　WBG has achieved significant economic and social benefits in product spreading, technique consultation and training, plant propagation, scheme and design of afforesting work and constructi on, selling of some kinds of economic plant, landscape plant, seed and seedlings of ornamental plant. runescape gold(source: wuhantime.com)

Guiyuan Buddist Temple

Guiyuan Temple (Temple of Original Purity), situated on Cuiwei Street, is one of the four biggest temples for Buddhist meditation in Hubei as well as an important Buddhist temple in China. 　　First built in the early Qing dynasty (1644-1911) by two monks named Baiguang and Zhufeng on the base of Sunflower Garden owned by a poet, the temple got its name form Buddhist chants: "With purity kept in mind, one has the thoroughfare everywhere." Guiyuan Temple has survived through more than 300 hundred years of repeated cycles of prosperity and decline, above all else, it is always leading the other temple in Wuhan with prosperous public worship, flourishing Buddhist ceremony and many pilgrims. 　　The temple was destroyed and rebuilt for several times in its history and the present temple dates from the early Republic of China (1912-1949). Covering an area of 46,900 square meters with a floor space of 20,000 square meters, the temple mainly consists of Daxiongbaodian Hall, Arhat Hall, Sutra Collection Pavilion, etc. 　　Daxiongbaodian Hall 　　It is the main hall of the temple. Statue of Sakyamuni, who preached Buddhism for 45 years as the founder of Buddhism, is enshrined in this hall. On his right is a statue of Mahakasyapa, one of the ten disciples of Sakyamuni. It is said that he was of eminent virtue and was reckoned to be the first patriarch. After Sakyamuni died he continued his career. On the left is a statue of Ananda. Also one of the ten disciples of Sakyamuni, Ananda was the master of hearing and memory and was reckoned to be the second patriarch. He followed Sakyamuni for more than 20 years and is said to have compiled the Buddhist sutras. 　　Arhat Hall 　　First built in 1850AD during the reign of Emperor Daoguang of the Qing dynasty, the hall is the most characteristic building of the Temple with its constructional layout being in the four-in-one-square shape. In the Arhat Hall are five hundred statues of the disciples Buddha sculpted by two artists between 1822 and 1831. Sitting, standing or reclining, in anger, sadness or delight, they stimulate people's imagination. The 500 arhats are now the best-preserved and very high artistic-valued group carvings in China. 　　Sutra Collection Pavilion 　　Built in 1696AD during the reign of Emperor Kangxi in the Qing dynasty, this structure is an indicative building in the temple for collecting Buddhist scriptures and art treasure. In this hall, a statue of Sakyamuni carved from a single block of white jade is most attractive. The statue, harmonizing well with the tranquility of the chambers and pavilions, companying with the incense smoke filtering through the sky, gives the temple a majestic magic. Besides, over 7000 Buddhist sutras and sutras from Japan, India, Burma, Thailand, etc are all stored in this hall. 　　Guiyuan Temple was in fashion for a time although its history was shorter than White Horse Temple, the best Buddhist Temple in China. It is famous not only for spreading Buddhism throughout the whole country, but also for perfect architecture, excellent sculpture and rich collection of Buddhist doctrine among Buddhist temples. In 1956 Guiyuan Temple was listed as preserved antiques unit of Hubei province and in 1983, it was appointed as one of the key Buddhist temple of Han nationality district in China by the State Council. 　　The temple has been a cheap runescape power leveling popular interesting place for tourists to visit, especially in recent ten years. 　　Useful Information 　　Location: It is located at Cuiwei Road, Hanyang 　　Ticket Price: 　　RMB 50 on the first and fifteenth day in lunar calendar and on the birthday of Caishen who is a mystical elder bringing fortune to people. 　　RMB 30 on the first day of a year and in spring festival 　　RMB 20 at other times 　　Opening Time: 8:00 a.m.-5:00 p.m. 　　Tips: The vegetarian diet made in the Guiyuan Temple is very famous. You should taste when you arrive there. runescape gold

Hubei Local Opera-to Be or Not to Be

　(China.org.cn) The rising of other cultural forms such as musicals, dramas and popular songs is affecting local operas across China. This is the case with local operas in Hubei Province. In an exclusive interview with china.org.cn, Yu Xiaoyu, an opera writer and director, gave his thoughts on the subject. 　 　　Both the Han and Chu operas are facing difficult times, according to Yu. As young people show no enthusiasm about them, they are short of performers as well as audience.　　 　　In an effort to win back audiences, the traditional entertainment takes in fashionable elements, such as dazzling lights, luxury scenery and elaborate costumes. 　 　　But Yu pointed out that the top-notch artistic work is not about lights, stage sets and costumes. The soul of an opera is the story, the music, the voices and the abilities of the performers. He was not saying the new approach is wrong. It could perhaps make a good opera a little better but couldn't improve a bad one, Yu said. 　 　　He said rejuvenation of local operas cheap runescape power leveling must be focused on small communities. Villagers were the most faithful audiences of local operas. And at the same time it was important to nurture the interests of people with works which touched them. 　 　　Almost all the Hubei opera troupes had heavy financial burdens. Few of them had their own theaters and some were so short of funds they were unable to rent a theater for rehearsals. 　 　　Opera troupes were regarded as public institutions in the planed economy era. They enjoyed the financial support of government and their funding allocation was tied to the number of people they employed. So every troupe had their own make-up artists, dress designers, lighting engineers and even complete stage designers. 　 　　But now as the troupes face stiff market competition, they find themselves under heavy financial burdens as they have to support a large number of retirees. To solve the problem, Yu said, troupes have to cut themselves free of that particular burden by buying their staff social insurance. 　　Shen Haining, vice director of the provincial culture department, said that the government would give some financial supports to those troupes trying to stage top works and create new productions. But the main policy is to let troupes survive in market competition. 　　In Hubei there are over 20 local companies including Han, Jingzhou flower-drum, Chu, Huangmei, Tea-picking and Nan operas. The Han and Chu operas are popular across the whole province. 　　Known as one of the sources of Beijing Opera, the 300-year-old Han Opera has an especially rich flavor of regional culture. It has a complete troupe of performers and their work is regarded as being very expressive. Chu Opera is characterized by plain language with a heavy rural touch. Originated at the turn of the Ming (1368-1644) and Qing (1644-1911) dynasties, Huangmei Opera is regarded as being extremely influential with its wide variety of arias. runescape gold

Dragon Boat Festival, Festival originated from Hubei

The Dragon Boat Festival, also called the Duanwu Festival, is celebrated on the fifth day of

the fifth month according to the Chinese calendar. For thousands of years, the festival has

been marked by eating zong zi (glutinous rice wrapped to form a pyramid using bamboo or reed

leaves) and racing dragon boats.

The festival is best known for its dragon-boat races, especially in the southern provinces

where there are many rivers and lakes. This regatta commemorates the death of Qu Yuan, an

honest minister who is said to have committed suicide by drowning himself in a river.

Qu was a minister of the State ofChu situated in present-day Hunan and Hubei provinces, during

the Warring States Period (475-221BC). He was upright, loyal and highly esteemed for his wise

counsel that brought peace and prosperity to the state. However, when a dishonest and corrupt

prince vilified Qu, he was disgraced and dismissed from office. Realizing that the country was

now in the hands of evil and corrupt officials, Qu grabbed a large stone and leapt into the

Miluo River on the fifth day of the fifth month. Nearby fishermen rushed over to try and save

him but were unable to even recover his body. Thereafter, the state declined and was eventually

conquered by the State of Qin.

The people of Chu who mourned the death of Qu threw rice into the river to feed his ghost every

year on the fifth day of the fifth month. But one year, the spirit of Qu appeared and told the

mourners that a huge reptile in the river had runescape moneystolen the rice. The spirit then advised them to

wrap the rice in silk and bind it with five different-colored threads before tossing it into

the river.

During the Duanwu Festival, a glutinous rice pudding called zong zi is eaten to symbolize the

rice offerings to Qu. Ingredients such as beans, lotus seeds, chestnuts, pork fat and the

golden yolk of a salted duck egg are often added to the glutinous rice. The pudding is then

wrapped with bamboo leaves, bound with a kind of raffia and boiled in salt water for hours.

The dragon-boat races symbolize the many attempts to rescue and recover Qu's body. A typical

dragon boat ranges from 50-100 feet in length, with a beam of about 5.5 feet, accommodating two

paddlers seated side by side.

A wooden dragon head is attached at the bow, and a dragon tail at the stern. A banner hoisted

on a pole is also fastened at the stern and the hull is decorated with red, green and blue

scales edged in gold. In the center of the boat is a canopied shrine behind which the drummers,

gong beaters and cymbal players are seated to set the pace for the paddlers. There are also men

positioned at the bow to set off firecrackers, toss rice into the water and pretend to be

looking for Qu. All of the noise and pageantry creates an atmosphere of gaiety and excitement

for the participants and spectators alike. The races are held among different clans, villages

and organizations, and the winners are awarded medals, banners, jugs of wine and festive meals.(rs accounts)

Source: chinadaily.com.cn