• Tagged China, nature, Red Earth, Red Land, terraced rice fields

Have you ever run across a photo and thought, Wow, that’s beautiful! Where is that? Well this is ‘Red Land,’ sometimes ‘Red Earth,’ and it’s an unusual and very remote area in China. Photographers love it, so it’s no longer a secret, but it’s definitely off the beaten track and amazingly picturesque. [36 Photos]

• Tagged China, phenomena, Shilin Stone Forest, South China Karst, Stone Forest, UNESCO World Heritage Site

Imagine 96,000 acres of forest, then swap out the trees in your mind’s eye for huge karst formations, some of which formed at least 270 million years ago, and that “stone forest” is Shilin in China. Since the Ming Dynasty in 1368-1644 AD, the collections of intricate karst formations and landscapes at Shilin Stone Forest have “bewitched” people; the site became known as the ‘First Wonder of the World,’ according to the China Travel Guide. South China Karst is not one Stone Forest, but made up of many such individual landscapes of all sizes. In fact, UNESCO says South China Karst has “outstanding universal value” and named two smaller stone forests, Naigu Stone Forest and Suogeyi Village, both as UNESCO World Heritage Sites. Here’s a look at Shilin Stone Forest in China.
[35 Photos]

• Tagged archaeological, China, dive, diving, lake, Lion City, lost city, photography, Qiandao Lake, Shi Cheng, Thousand Island Lake, underwater

Once upon a time, an ancient city in China was named Lion City because Five Lion Mountain loomed large behind it. The city, also known as Shi Cheng, has been buried beneath the water for 53 years. Like the lost Incan City of Machu Picchu was ‘rediscovered,’ so was this lost underwater city that had been founded about 1,300 years ago. Lion City is now located about 85 – 131 feet (26-40 meters) beneath the gorgeous Thousand Island Lake (Qiandao Lake). This valley was submerged when a dam was constructed and a lake was needed. The lake and thousands of islands were man-made. Shi Cheng ‘defied’ the Chinese norm since 5 gates and 5 towers were built into the city instead of 4. Lion City is about the size of 62 football fields. International archaeologists and a film crew recorded the amazing perservation of the lost ‘ruins.’ [23 Photos, 2 Videos]

• Tagged animals, China, endangered species, giant panda cubs, giant pandas, nature, panda, panda cubs, pandas, places, Sichuan Giant Panda Sanctuaries, UNESCO World Heritage, UNESCO World Heritage Site, Wolong National Nature Reserve

Giant pandas are a highly endangered species, but an UNESCO World Heritage Site in China holds more 30% of the world’s panda population. These beautiful black and white bears roam on more than 2 million acres of the Sichuan Giant Panda Sanctuaries. It is the largest remaining contiguous habitat of the giant panda and contains the most important captive breeding site. The Chinese sanctuaries include seven nature reserves and nine scenic parks in the Qionglai and Jiajin Mountains. The Wolong National Nature Reserve alone has more than 150 of this iconic bears. [42 Photos]

• Tagged bizarre, China, Fengdu City of Ghosts, ghost city, ghosts, photos, pics, pictures, places, strange, temple, travel, WTF

Most folks have seen some totally freaky things coming out of Japan, bizarre game shows or festivals, and people are like WTF Japan? Well how about WTF China??? Fengdu Ghost City: This place was once ancient temples, but now has become a tacky amusement park. Instead of Mickey Mouse and happy stuff, visitors move closer and closer until visiting Hell. WTF China?!? Fengdu, the “City of Ghosts,” is situated at the northern end of the Yangtze River. It attracts tourists from all over China to learn about Chinese ghost culture and the afterlife. Visitors are constantly reminded here that good is rewarded with good, and evil is rewarded with terrifying and torturous evil. [34 WTF Freaky Photos]

• Tagged architecture, China, Chinese gardens, garden, nature, photos, pics, pictures, places

China has population of around 1,331,460,000 people, but for such a crowded place, it offers many gorgeous and peaceful gardens. There is nothing left to chance in the design of Chinese gardens. They are meant to reflect a painting or a poem, to be a place of spiritual utopia to connect with nature and a person’s inner heart. Chinese gardens are socially and culturally important. They serve multiple purposes as an extension of the house, used for retreat, for festivity, for study of poetry, and for romance. Looking at the pictures, we feel peaceful. So relax and take a virtual tour through a few stunning and superbly serene Chinese gardens. We love these pics! [21 pictures]