Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Monlam Great Prayer Festival
Held during two weeks from the third day of the Tibetan New Year and celeb-
rated with spectacular processions across the Tibetan world, huge silk
thangka
(Tibetan sacred art) is unveiled and, on the last day, a statue of the Maitreya
Buddha is conveyed around towns and monasteries; catch it in Xiahe (
Click
here
).
Lantern Festival
Held 15 days after the spring festival, this celebration was traditionally a time
when Chinese hung out highly decorated lanterns. Lantern-hung Pingyao in
Shanxi (
Click here
)
is an atmospheric place to soak up the festival (some-
times held in March).
March
China comes back to life after a long winter, although high-altitude areas re-
main glacial. The mercury climbs in Hong Kong and abrasive dust storms bil-
low into Beijing. Admission prices are still low-season.
Beijing Book Bash
Curl up with a good topic at the Bookworm cafe (
Click here
) for Beijing's inter-
national literary festival, and lend an ear to lectures from international and do-
mestic authors. Also earmark Shanghai for its international literary festival in
the Bund-side Glamour Bar (
Click here
) or the Man Hong Kong International
Literary Festival.
Fields of Yellow
Delve into south Chinese countryside to be bowled over by a landscape satur-
ated in bright yellow rapeseed. In some parts of China, such as lovely Wuyuan
(
Click here
) in Jiangxi province, it's a real tourist draw.
