Courier October Courier | Page 42

On the UNESCO trail in Beijing
Cirque heads to China
COMPASS

China

COMPILED BY PAT HENDERSON

On the UNESCO trail in Beijing

This July , the UNESCO World Heritage Committee inscribed two more sites in China on its popular list . The addition of the Kulangsu Historic International Settlement and Qinghai Hoh Xil brings the country ’ s number of UNESCO-recognized places to 52 , which ties China with Italy for the top spot .
The following UNESCO sites in Beijing are three of the country ’ s most well-known attractions :
CC FLICRK / RICHARD THOMAS : bi . ly / 2h5B48G
CC FLICRK / DIMITRY B .: bi . ly / 2wbqGH0
CC FLICRK / ANITA RITENOUR : bi . ly / 2vVPNJD
The Summer Palace Originally constructed in 1750 , the Summer Palace was decimated during the war in 1860 before being restored 25 years later . The site is an outstanding example of the ornate style that is typical of China ’ s landscape garden design . Groups can enjoy taking in the area ’ s natural beauty as they tour the temples , pagodas , bridges and shrines .
The Imperial Palaces of the Ming and Qing Dynasties The palaces in Beijing and Shenyang served as the residences of the Ming and Qing Dynasty emperors from the 15th to the 20th century . As such , they became the central locations of royal power , which is on display throughout the complexes . The centerpiece of the Beijing site is the Forbidden City , where visitors can discover how its architecture reflected Chinese hierarchical culture .
The Temple of Heaven Founded in the first half of the 15th century , the temple complex is set among gardens and surrounded by pine trees . The layout of the buildings is meant to symbolize the connection between earth and heaven , which played a significant part in the lives of many early Chinese emperors .
To learn more , contact Yanjie Wang of the China National Tourist Office at yjwang @ cnto . org or go to cnto . org .
Cirque du Soleil ’ s “ Kooza ”
OWEN CAREY

Cirque heads to China

Cirque du Soleil will bring its renowned brand of entertainment to China in the form of touring shows and a permanent show that will be based in Hangzhou in the Zhejiang Province .
The traveling production of “ Kooza ” kicks off its Chinese tour in Shanghai this month , before heading to Beijing in December and then on to five other cities after the first of the year . This will be the beginning of Cirque bringing at least one of its touring shows to the country annually .
The resident show in Hangzhou is slated to debut in late 2018 . The theater in Hangzhou is currently in the latter stages of construction , and , when it ’ s completed , it will seat 1,440 people . This marks the first time Cirque du Soleil has built a theater outside of North America to host a permanent show .
The popular entertainment company , which has created 43 shows since it was formed by a group of street performers in Québec in 1984 , also recently announced that it acquired Blue Man Group .
For more information , contact Jacinta Jose of the Cirque du Soleil at jacinta . jose @ cirquedusoleil . com or go to cirque dusoleil . com .
40 October 2017