Eternal romance in 'city of eternal spring'
(China Daily)
Updated: 2010-03-11 10:01
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It's with reason that Kunming is called the "city of eternal spring". With the temperature hovering at about 15 C throughout the year, people in this capital city of Yunnan province never have to worry about scorching-hot summers or biting-cold winters.
One of the best ways to experience this city is to start your journey at Green Lake Park, or Cuihu, where residents like to gather for exercise and recreation. Every year, lovely red-beak gulls from distant Siberia wait out the long winters here.
Every time I return to Kunming, I spend an afternoon at any of the tiny teahouses in the park, sipping a cuppa and catching up with old friends.
Over the decades, the development of Kunming has proceeded on the fast track, fueled by tourism. The city is home to world-famous sites such as the Stone Forest and Dianchi Lake.
Now, it is the only city in Southwestern China with an IMAX theater, allowing audiences to enjoy a movie like Avatar. The neon lights, outlining the skyline of Kuming's new commercial district, as my mother puts it, are as gorgeous as those at Sanlitun Village in Beijing.
Although the city's modernization has erased some of the historical landmarks, you can still get a glimpse of the city's past.
Golden Temple, or Jin Dian, located on the northeastern outskirts, is a must-see. Hidden amid a pine forest on Fengming Mountain, this Taoist temple is a testament to the romance between Ming general Wu Sangui and his concubine Chen Yuanyuan.
The temple was first built in 1602 and then moved from Kunming to western part of the province. In 1671, Wu, then ruler of Yunnan, spent a large sum of money expanding the temple when war-weary Chen decided to spend her last days there.
A 14-ton bell, dating to the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644), the third largest bronze bell in China, is one of the highlights of the temple.
The Yunnan Military School is another site worth a visit. Acclaimed as the cradle of Chinese military leaders, the school celebrated its 100th anniversary last year and is now a museum open to the public. Its graduates include some of the most influential figures in the founding of New China, such as Zhu De and Ye Jianying.
Kunming is also a paradise for food lovers. The local cuisine reflects the diversity of ethnic culture in the region. Specialties of the ethnic groups are available at most restaurants. In addition to rice noodles, or mixian, probably the most famous dish in the city, I would recommend ersi, another kind of noodle, which has a sticky texture.
Don't pass up the mushroom hotpot, particularly in summer, when the mushrooms are harvested. Long lines can be seen in front of mushroom hotpot restaurants in Guanshang area of the Guandu district.
If you are visiting the Stone Forest, you would do well to try roast duck in Yiliang county, located half way from Kunming. It's on a par with Peking roasting duck, but eaten without pancake and scallions.