Zhuhai Adventures

We arrive at the Yuanming New Palace on the bus, entrance is free. Built at the foot of a mountain on the perimeter of Zhuhai City the New Yuanming Palace is a copy of an old summer palace in Beijing- not the ‘Last Emperor’ old Palace but another that was burned down 150 years ago. Maybe they decided to site the new Palace in Zhuhai, which is a 6 hour flight away from Beijing, to share out the cultural heritage a bit.
The plaza outside the Palace is starting to get fairly busy with Chinese tourists, but although there is a steady stream of people the large site means it isn’t particularly crowded. Fantastic beast sculptures welcome us as we step through the impressive gateway; fierce turtles, lions, serpents or are they dragons? In the first courtyard there are replica blossom trees; away to the sides, covered walkways lead through to further courtyards. We spy some tourists who have already visited the costumiers here, they are dressed in traditional clothes with full make up and they look magnificent. A couple in traditional wedding clothes are having their photo shoot, we hope that it is for a real wedding celebration.
Chinese Palaces, a little like Tudor mansions, have a series of rooms that become progressively more important and grander the further they get from the entrance. The first building we enter has some ornate furniture and a couple of attendants looking bored- some beautifully embroidered gowns are displayed on the walls; at the rear are two little rooms with mannequins of ancient Chinese people (the mannequins are pretty ancient too) it is the schoolroom and children’s dining area.
Across another courtyard, we enter a much larger building inside is a huge display of Ancient Chinese Medicine, reaching floor to ceiling 6 metres at least. Shelves are filled with identical glass jars each containing a different herb, flower, seed, grass, all used in early medicinal sciences hundreds of years ago in China. There are atomisers that allow you to sniff the ingredients in some of the bottles, and we identify cumin, cinnamon and something citrus. There are lots of information posters with pictures of the ancient doctors and old photos of the more up to date ones. We are able to google translate – it’s fascinating stuff. Natasha our Ukrainian friend would really love the mushroom display.
Through this building we arrive at a substantial lake, a small island lies in the centre, row boats are available to hire and you can buy tickets for a tour in a large pleasure cruiser. We linger watching the water birds and working out which way around the lake we want to go. The day is scorching hot with barely any cloud cover, so we follow the covered walkways that extend around the lake, along with well-positioned plantations of trees we can move from shade to shade. We encounter statues of famous Chinese characters from history, we recognise Confucious, but there are lots of serious looking men from diverse historical backgrounds and we are too hot to google translate all of the labels. Finally, there is a woman statue, but wait a minute, who is this? I spot a name I recognise… Tan– I translate quickly! This is the famous Lady Tan the first Chinese female doctor from the 15th Century, I have just read Lisa See’s book which fictionalises her life. I am very excited and feel as if I have met Lady Tan in person. Rob very kindly listens to the whole story…again and waits patiently as I take multiple photos.
We love the public warning signs that have been very creatively translated telling us: ‘Snakes present’ and to ‘Take care to fall in water’.
We climb up a flight of stairs and find a giant bell with an enormous beater to sound it…we pretend to of course. At the north end, there is a rushing stream coming down the mountain and into the lake, Rob spots a kingfisher – the unmistakable iridescent blue, and orange throat, we watch it until on a successful fish, it’s up and away. There are black swans here too, they are not mute but make a strange honking noise more like geese. A large raptor, which we can’t identify but something like a kite, is also circling high above the lake trying to get lucky.
We follow a sign to the theatre, this turns out to be a huge, covered outdoor auditorium, there must be 800 seats which face a sizeable stage with ornate landscape scenery either side, but this elaborate red and gold safety curtain has not been raised for quite some time. Everything is covered in dust and the kind of mould that will grow in excessive rain. Lanterns are missing from the rig and those still in place are unplugged, seats are grubby, this theatre has been dark for a while.
Around the corner is a cable car ride up the mountain, we dare each other and decide to go for it. We buy tickets from the most miserable person that we have encountered in China so far, these are torn by an even more bored teenager, and then we are locked into an obsolete cable car, which is slightly concerning. The trip up has us facing the mountain, our cab dangling high over the thick forest below. We rise silently. The trip is buoyed only by the Chinese pop music that blares out at each stanchion we pass.
At the top, we are met by a very jolly attendant who welcomes us: Ni Hao.Ni Hao’ we are relieved to be helped out of the car. There is another of the Chinese mountain top walkways that we are becoming familiar with, and even though it is still very hot, we decide to walk a little way as we spot a shaded shelter with amazing views: there is Macau with all its magnificent and fanciful hotels, the sea and border control where we entered the country and which divides Macau, the Hong Kong bridge and China; and huge cities stretching inland far into the distance. Turning back, we can see the whole of the New Palace Park spread out below us, it has been worthwhile and the journey back down in the cable car is much more relaxing; being able to see the view all the way down is enjoyable and we chat happily, reassured that we will be ‘landing’ soon. Now if this teenager… can be bothered to get out of his chair… and off his phone… and slouch over to the car… to let us out… we may get off! Just made it!
It’s time for a refreshing drink and we relax in a beautiful café at the top of the lake watching the pleasure cruiser touring around and the many water birds fishing. There is a further display of Chinese pharmacy in the large building here and the curation of this is magnificent, it looks like a Harry Potter set with magic potions spiraling up to the ceiling. On the decking outside there are traditional costumes and I try some on. Inside, there are young women having elaborate make-up applied professionally and there are rows and rows of traditional costumes for them to choose which will match their hair and make up before their photo shoots, one of the many activities on offer at the Palace. We think that this seems like a lovely thing to do with a friend.
A leisurely stroll takes us back to the entrance gate where we find a group of excited Chinese tourists all dressed identically posing for a photo and then leaping onto a giant golf buggy to take a ride around the lake, they are already having a great time.
We call a Didi to take us home, so easy and so cheap.