http://content.time.com/time/travel/cityguide/printout/0,31522,1850076_1850078_1849814-full,00.html
We have learned a lot about the history of China, and even the more modern facts seem to make
China seem like a place no one would want to go. After reading this article I realized that China does
actually have some sights that look worthy of seeing. Does this article change your opinion of whether
you would want to see China? Do you you thinks facts from the United States' history could make America
seem like a place people would not want to go?
What do we have that is worth seeing?
Over the past couple of weeks while studying China, we have really only focused on events in history that generally have negative connotations. When thinking of places I would like to travel, China is not usually one that makes the top of the list. However the more we study China, the more I wish to travel there. Hearing of the events that have happened in the past does not really sway my opinion as every country goes through rough periods and I believe most events involve the people and government rather than the land itself. China is rich in vast history and culture, and only becomes more intriguing as we see each way the country has been shifted from dynasties to cultural revolutions. It is one of the only five ancient civilizations that dates back to over 6,000 years ago. In the article ‘5 Reasons to visit China’, it states some of the conventional reasons to visit China but they still remain relevant, being able to experience the diversity of the country would be unbelievable as there aren’t things in America such as The Great Wall. Compared to America which really only dates back a few hundred years, China holds an incredible amount of history that possibly bears since humans have walked the earth. There will always be people who are influenced by the event from history while others are not. Such as the older generations in Germany, who were influenced by the actions in World War II. Many saw America as an arrogant country and still hold those prejudices. Yet as seen at Souhegan through the German exchange students, even though many may be under the scrutiny of elders, many are enthralled at the idea of being able to come and experience America. Some of the major draws for the German students to come to America is New York City and being able to see the freedom in our country. I think compared to the older societies in Europe, younger generations see America as a land of opportunity as we don’t have the rich history marked in the soil beneath our feet like an ancient civilization such as China.
ReplyDeletehttps://www.gadventures.com/blog/five-reasons-to-visit-china/#.Up5SA8RDvYQ
I strongly agree with the fact that China is still a wonderful place. As we get to learn more about China, it would seem to like a place that no one would like to go, but China has so much to offer. Its ancient structures are very fascinating, and holds intense memories of the history of China. Jess had stated, “…being able to experience the diversity of the country would be unbelievable as there aren’t things in America such as The Great Wall,” which I definitely agree with, because The Great Wall was made a long time ago, and most of the people who helped build it had died. It showed the determination of those, and they knew that it was dangerous to take the risk. It’s not just the Great Wall though, there’s the Forbidden City, and the Temple of Heaven (www.people.com). These are evidence of the Chinese civilization’s development throughout the history. They represent their achievements in construction and their style of art.
ReplyDeletehttp://english.people.com.cn/92824/92848/index.html
What intrigues me the most was the creation of the Terracotta Warriors sculptures found in Xian. I find it very interesting, you never see these kinds of things anywhere! It’s one of these creations that I personally would like to check out someday. China has so much to offer, their creations give off this “whoa, how do they do it?” feeling, and so visiting China is definitely worth it.
http://www.travelchinaguide.com/attraction/shaanxi/xian/terra_cotta_army/
- Nicole Zheng
For a long time I've wanted it visit china. To me it doesn't matter if the country was taken over and made communist years ago, or that they eat duck. Their history is just as fascinating as an other country. But I know not everyone sees it that way. Some people could think that because of chinas history that their country is still a bad country. Some people outside of the United States could see us that way. All though, if a person has that kind of mind set, I would call them close minded. A country, sometimes cannot be defined by their history. Much of china today is trying to rebuild and make their country better, no matter their past.
ReplyDeletePatience Deaton
The article gives a few examples of luxury spots and authentic places you can visit in China. I agree that there is too much culture and history that you cannot say "no" to. Since I am adopted from China, I really want to visit China and I will (one day). They may eat different food and have different customs, but when you boil it down, we're all living on this earth together, so if I have the chance to visit other places, I'm going to take it. Patience also made a great comment about a "close minded" person. I think that when the people from Russia came to visit, most of us already had our opinion about Russia. And after we had been talking for a bit, Carly said she wanted to say how relaxed and easy going it was to talk to them. The media portrayed a different picture. So overall, how are we going to know if China is amazing or not if we haven't even gone there? -Moriah :)
ReplyDeleteWhat we have learned in class has not quite shown us the best side of China. We unfortunely have not learned about the positive beautiful culture that is also there. It structures from the past are priceless, and like they mentioned the Great Wall of China is something memorable from the country that we just don’t have here. I think its tough to say if our countries history would persuade people to visit us. We had some good times like the civil war fighting against each other but on the other side we are a country who didn’t like what was going on in Great Britain so we made a name for our self and left. We do have sights that are worth seeing though like for instance the Grand Canyon. –Chris DeChambeau
ReplyDeletehttp://www.nps.gov/grca/index.htm
Kate Heaney
ReplyDeleteWe have seen primarily the bloody past of china through lenses of people who have never experienced these hardships. Never has the US been ruled by a dictator since our independence. We focus on the bad that has changed history instead of the good that keeps people there. According to Wikipedia China is the third most visited country by tourists. So obviously there must be something that keeps foreigners coming there. Is it that their culture is so different from that which tourists are coming from? Is it there constantly changing and growing culture and economy? I don't know, but this article highlights many attractions that could pull people in to china by the thousands. The cuisine is definitely a source of intrigue for many people worldwide. The Peking duck is a delicacy in china and according to the article people should try to avoid the tourist traps that will provide a greaser duck that doesn't represent the food in the best possible light. Also the article says that after a long day of exploring Beijing tourists can indulge in a foot massage. After reading all the history of china and then seeing the modernization from a distance one must ask what the US looks like. But according to Wikipedia the United States had 1.9 billions tourist in 2005 so clearly the past isn't too big of a deterrent in either case.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tourism_in_the_United_States
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tourism_in_China
When we first began the unit about China I realized that I would like to visit China not to see the sights and enjoy the culture of the people, but more to experience a difference in life style. Due to the difference in the government and the values of the Chinese people I thought that it would be an interesting place to visit to experience a different way of life. Now that I have read this article and learned more about the beauty, elegance and taste of the real China, not the China we learn about through history, I think that it would be a fantastic place to visit and see the sights and experience the many great aspects of China. Like China, America has gone many different things in history that may not make America sound like the most appealing place to visit, however both have many important events in history that may have been bad or good and still attract tourists because of peoples fascination with the idea that such important points in history took place on that very soil. I believe that because China is currently battling with major issues, such as an abusive government, and because America, while still dealing with issues of our own, have moved past the more major issues in society, such as racism. Due to this difference I believe that America can seem like a more appealing place to visit for the most part. I believe that America has many historical aspects and places that are worth seeing, but we also have many newer and less historically critical, such as the Empire State Building. Based on the article many of the most intriguing destinations seem to be older and relate to the Forbidden City, which I believe is quite a bit different from America.
ReplyDeleteWils Ezeqeulle
As said by everyone's earlier comments, China is portrayed as a corrupt government with a lot of issues, but we do not see China as the Chinese see it. By studying the problems of the government, and all the negative aspects China faces, we are only seeing one side of China. The other side should not be neglected. China is full of history and beautiful nature, monuments, and tourist attractions. America for example, has had many economic crisises and problems with the government. Yet we still have pride for our National Parks. China is the same way. Visiting China would be a privilege because of their "water towns, imperial palaces, splendid national cultural heritage and colorful folk customs" (Travel China Guide). The history of a country should have no effect on it's beauty it has to offer. Many interesting destiations lie within China that should not be ignored, such as the Forbidden City and the Great Wall of China. Many people who are not able to see past issues in a country's culture seem less willing to go there. America may seem this way to other countries due to their overwhelming power, shut down of government, and many wars, but there is still beauty in America that people can appreciate. It is too broad to say that people would not want to visit a certain place, such as China or America, or any other country that had issues in the past, or may have ongoing issues. It depends on the individual whose mind is willing to see the whole other side of the country that does not seem to receive enough credit, the beautiful side of it.
ReplyDelete