Anhui: Hongcun Ancient Village

1. Anhui: Hongcun Ancient Village (安徽宏村)

Reliable muse for generations of artists.

The 900-year-old village of Hongcun has long drawn in-the-know Chinese visitors, who love its tranquil vibe and distinctive architecture.

The striking Huangshan mountain backdrop (see No. 2) doesn't hurt, either.

Its classic structures, Moon Lake and picturesque locals have been an inspiration for art students for decades.

Walking the narrow lanes paved with quartzite and seeing farmers working in rice fields, with the reflection of ancient houses in the lake, should provide enough material to get you started on your own visual masterpiece.

Admission: RMB 104 (US$16)

Hongcun Village is roughly 70 kilometers northwest of the city of Huangshan in Anhui Province. Major cities connected to Huangshan Airport by direct flights include Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou and Xi'an.

Rabbit, rabbit

Just before I left town at the end of last week, I wandered around the city to see how preparations were coming for the arrival of the new lunar year.
In old town, near the City God Temple and Yu Garden, workers were feverishly installing large inflatable hares.This poor fellow took a break from work and feel asleep standing up!Across the river in Pudong at the World Financial Center, people were filling out wish cards and hanging them on trees. What were they wishing for? I could read very little of the Chinese, none of the Russian, and only caught a glimmer of the hopes in German and Spanish. But Im pretty sure I got the gist of this one, between the 4.0 and GPA, although the rest is in Korean:But heres what I collected in English. A gals hope:A guys wish:
Hmm, an older guy! s dream, I spose:
Then theres the one I wont show you, in which a guy wishes a certain specifically-named lady would jump off a bridge. Seems a tad unchivalrous. Ultimately, the childs dream warms the heart:Thanks for that, Emma. And my best wishes for your health and happiness, everybody, in the Year of the Rabbit!