The Longhua Temple with its landmark Pagoda is Shanghai’s oldest temple, first erected in 242 AD, back in the Three Kingdoms era well over 1700 years ago. Due to its long history and the ravages of war and decay, the temple was rebuilt several times, and much of the surviving buildings were reworked during the Qing dynasty, and again restored in recent decades. The Pagoda is one of seven originally built to house sacred Buddhist relics acquired by Sun Quan, King of Wu, one of the Three Kingdoms, so the legend goes. It stands in front of the original temple entrance gateway and comprises seven octagonal storeys tapering to a height of over 40m. The seven tiers of wooden floors and balconies, each with tiled curved eaves, are built around a central brick core which is about the oldest part of the whole temple.  The Longhua temple complex is located on Longhua Road and its grounds sprawl over 20,000 sq. m. It is dedicated to the Meitreya Buddha and constructed in the Song...

Circle wagons! It’s time to defend the internet from the those who would control it for their own ends. Be at the “Free My Internet” Rally. Be seen, be heard, be there! Sat 8 June 2013 4.00 pm – 7.00 pm Hong Lim Park

Prelude: To the south of China lies this vast and timeless land that the Chinese call Nanyang, or the Southern Ocean. The region encompasses all the waters and lands of southeast Asia, the Malay archipelago and beyond. Since ancient times the Chinese have sailed the seas of Nanyang in search of the vast riches that is the stuff of dreams. Many have become fabulously rich, others paid with their very lives. Through their enterprise great cities have sprung up linking peoples of many skins and tongues through their common desire to trade. It is in this romantic setting that my story unfolds. “Nanyang” tells of two brothers Seng and Hock who, separated during a shipwreck and after many twists and turns in their lives, eventually come face to face on opposites of the law. The outcome marks the turning point in their journey from boys to men. In telling this tale, I myself have embarked on a journey of a thousand miles. This little video says I have taken the first step. ...

  The Bund offers a spectacular view of the Pudong business district on the opposite side of the Huangpu River with its gleaming skyscrapers. The promenade is the place where selfies are a must. The Bund is the pride of Shanghai, if not of all China. It is the strip on the west bank of the Huangpu River where the foreign powers first settled, just north of the old city. It is home to many historic buildings of different architectural styles influenced by the multicultural heritage of the foreigners who carved out their own quarters collectively called the international settlement. It is a great place for the visitor to bum around as there are many sights, sounds and tastes from its cosmopolitan past to be savoured at a leisurely pace. At nightfall join the throngs of locals and tourist on a stroll along the bund for a spectacular view of the skyline. The old Meteorological Signal Tower is a historic landmark built in 1907 at the southern end of the Bund. A cafe and bar with ...

The Huangpu River cuts across Shanghai city, dividing it neatly into two. The western sector or Puxi is home to the old walled city and most of the historical tourist attractions. The eastern sector Pudong is a recent development of the last few decades and is the new business district boasting many awesome glass and steel towers, soon to be joined by another, the simply named Shanghai Tower.  A typical day cruise will take you around the lower reaches of the river where you can catch a glimpse of the life blood of Shanghai, the flow of goods between the port and the industrial heartland.   The Huangpu River is spanned by the several suspension bridges, under which flow an endless stream of coastal and river vessels in both directions. Cruise the river on a resplendent floating palace with twin-dragon bows, or something more this century in steel and glass. Cruising past the futuristic Oriental Pearl Tower. The promenade lined with skyscrapers o...

A day trip to nearby Suzhou is most rewarding just for one attraction alone – The Humble Administrator’s Garden (Zhuo Zheng Yuan). About an hour or so by train or car from Shanghai city centre, you’ll cut through suburbs, industrial zones and the open countryside. Here in the farmlands, the holdings may be small but the farmers are not the buffalo pushing and changkol wielding kind. These latterday farmers are doing pretty well judging from the tractors, trucks, motorcycles and tv antennae visible from the road.  As you approach Suzhou, farmlands give way to industrial estates stretching as far as the eye can see. Soon you are on the edge of the old town renowned for its canals and ancient dwellings, some dating back to the days of Marco Polo who must have felt quite at home in the city dubbed the “Venice of the East.” The old Administrator’s title might sound deferential, but his abode is anything but humble. Located at 178 Northeast Road, Pingjiang District, the Humble ...