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Riwo Dechen Monastery
The large, active, Gelugpa-sect Riwo Dechen Monastery sprawls above Chongyes old town across the lower slopes of Mt Chingwa below the fort. The main assembly hall has a statue and throne of the 5th Dalai Lama. Just below the monastery is a grand new chörten.
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Peasant Movement Institute
The institute was established in 1924 by the Chinese Communist Party at the site of a former Confucian temple. Mao Zedong and Zhou Enlai both taught here, before the school closed in 1926. You can see Mao Zedongs re-created personal quarters and even his bed.
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Pou Tai Temple
A picturesque temple founded in the 19th century by Buddhist monks, Pou Tai has an enormous bronze statue of Lord Gautama in its main hall, and prayer pavilions and orchid greenhouses scattered around the complex. The monks also operate a vegetarian restaurant .
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Yǎngkǒu Scenic Area
You can ascend this scenic area by foot or cable car past wind- and water-carved granite. There’s a 30m scramble in total darkness up a crevice to the top of Looking for Heaven Cave (觅天洞) and then upward still for views of the sea. The hike takes about three hours.
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Macau Cultural Centre
This US$100-million centre with an area of 45,000 sq metres is the territory’s prime venue for cultural performances. It’s beside the wonderful Macau Museum of Art. Creative Macau , an art space that runs exhibitions and poetry readings, is on the ground floor.
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Zhènchéng Lóu
This most visited tǔlóu is a grandiose structure built in 1912, with two concentric circles and a total of 222 rooms. The ancestral hall in the centre of the tǔlóu is complete with Western-style pillars. The locals dub this tǔlóu wángzǐ (土楼王子), the prince tǔlóu.
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Treasury of Sacred Art
Northeast of Largo do Senado, the 17th-century baroque Church of St Dominic is a replacement of a chapel built in the 1590s. Today it contains the Treasury of Sacred Art , an Aladdin’s cave of ecclesiastical art and liturgical objects exhibited on three floors.
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Shànhuà Temple
Originally constructed in AD 713; Shànhuà was rebuilt by the Jin. The grand wooden-bracketed rear hall contains five beautiful central Buddhas and expressive statues of celestial generals in the wings. Look out for an impressive five-dragon screen out the front.
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Jiāngjūnfén (General’s Tomb)
One of the largest pyramid-like structures in the region, the 12m-tall Jiāngjūnfén was built during the 4th century for a Koguryo ruler. The nearby smaller tomb is the resting place of a family member. The site is set among the hills 4km northeast of town.
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Ethnographic Museum
This small museum has some offbeat gems like traditional Tibetan clothing, swords and stuffed animals. If you have more time you can explore the ruins of the old monastery on the ridge behind the adjacent gompa or do some great hiking in the valley opposite.
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Macau Cathedral
East of Largo do Senado is this cathedral. It’s not a particularly attractive structure, consecrated in 1850 and rebuilt in 1937 in concrete. It has some notable stained-glass windows and is very active during major Christian festivals and holy days in Macau.
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Hong Kong Science Museum
Illustrating the fundamental workings of technology with practical demonstrations of the laws of energy, physics and chemistry, the Hong Kong Science Museum is a great hands-on experience capable of entertaining adults as well as children from toddlers to teens.
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Grand Canal
The Grand Canal passes to the west and south of Sūzhōu, within a 10km range of the town. Suburban buses 13, 14, 15 and 16 will get you there. In the northwest, bus 11 follows the canal for a fair distance, taking you on a tour of the surrounding countryside.
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Elephant Bathing Pool
According to legend, Elephant Bathing Pool (2070m) is where Pǔxián flew his elephant in for a nice scrub, but today there’s not much of a pool to speak of. Being almost at the crossroads of both major trails, the temple here is sometimes crowded with pilgrims.
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Qīngyīn Pavilion
Named ‘Pure Sound Pavilion’ after the soothing sounds of the waters coursing around rock formations, this temple (710m) is built on an outcrop in the middle of a fast-flowing stream. Rest in one of the small pavilions here while you appreciate the natural ‘music’.
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Creative Macau
This space managed by a nonprofit organization aims at promoting and enhancing the potentials of Macaus creative industries. Youll find here exhibitions of works by a spectrum of industries, from advertising and architecture, to publishing and fashion design.
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Xiétóngqìng Draft Bank
First established in 1856, this former bank had underground vaults protected by live-in guards. After checking out the courtyard displays, descend into the cool (literally) vaults and explore the cave-like rooms filled with stacks of faux gold and silver ingots.
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Yuántōng Temple
This temple is the largest Buddhist complex in Kūnmíng and a draw for both pilgrims and locals. It’s more than 1000 years old, but has been refurbished many times. To the rear, a hall has been added, with a statue of Sakyamuni, a gift from Thailand’s king.
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Wave
Close to Solitary Beauty Peak and beside the western bank of the Li River, Wave-Subduing Hill offers fine views of the town. Upon entering the gate, look out for the large rice pot left behind from the Dingyue Temple - its big enough to cook rice for 1000 people.
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Su Xiaoxiaos Tomb
Near Xīlíng Bridge (Xīlíng Qiáo ) on West Lake, this is the tomb of a 5th-century courtesan who died of grief while waiting for her lover to return. It’s been said that her ghost haunts the area and the tinkle of the bells on her gown can be heard at night.
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