2008-10-11

Posted at 03:43 UT by Tamara

SEGMENT 326
XIAN, China
The Great Mosque
Opening Cut from Tang Dynasty Dinner Show
Part 9 of a 16 part series on China

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SEGMENT 326
XIAN, China
The Great Mosque - a Famous Chinese Styled 8th Century Mosque
Part 9 of a 16 part series on China

Segment 326 will take the viewers to the Muslim quarter for a visit to the 7th Centruy Great Mosque, famous as one of the only Mosques of the world built in traditional Chinese architectural style, including symbols of dragons and phoenix, lotus, and lions.

China Spree describes this area as "Four beautiful courtyards of ancient trees, ornate arches and stone steles. This Mosque is the center of life for the Muslim community, descendants of the merchants that ferried the religion into China along the ancient Silk Road. "

You will see many studying the Koran in the side buildings, in the bathing houses where visitors go to cleanse their body prior to entering the inner sanctum rooms, and enjoying the peaceful and quiet beauty in the sanctuary of a reverent and holy site.

You can hear the birds singing beautifully here. and between tour groups, can enjoy the peaceful quiet that all who come to meditate enjoy.

We enter the area through a bustling courtyard and alleyway of merchants where it will be very helpful to travel along in little groups to watch out for each other, and for the professional pick-pockets found at all tourist spots. It pays to travel in a small herd.

We also visit the Wild Goose Pagoda, a Tang Dynasty landmark. This seven-story pagoda was initially constructed in 652 AD to house the Buddhist sutras brought back from India by the monk, Xuan Zang, who later translated them into Chinese. His pilgrimage to India is immortalized in the Chinese Classic, " The journey to the West."

This segment, like the previous one, includes a small taste of the Tang Dynasty Show, to reward the viewers with a small bite of the larger and fuller performance program which will follow in the last segment created in Xian.

Airing Schedule for
SEGMENT 326
Part 9 in the 16 part series on China

Tuesday, December 23rd
5:30 p.m. news primetime
and again at
2:00 a.m.
when all other programming goes off the air.

Friday, December 26th
5:30 p.m. news primetime
and again at
2:00 a.m.
when all other programming goes off the air.

Labels: CHINA - 16 Part Mini-Series - GREAT GETAWAYS of the WORLD