Kunming's eternal spring
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[Photo by Erik Nilsson/China Daily] |
・ Dianchi Wetlands
Visitors can stroll along walking paths with boats bobbing in rivers on one side and birds floating in the wetlands soaking on the other.
The marsh hosts over 280 animal species and 23 fish varieties. It crackles with the colors of a rainbow-burst of flowers.
・ Yunnan University
This Ming Dynasty (1368-1644) testing center became the province's first university in 1922. Today, its serene campus is as much a public park as a place of learning.
Newlyweds snap photos and families picnic beneath canopies of gingkoes, whose golden leaves shimmer to applaud autumn breezes. Movies filmed here often include students as actors.
A 500-year-old statue of a mythical beast－a blend between a lion, two types of dragons and a unicorn－guards the exam rooms. It's meant to enforce honesty among aspiring students as well as teachers with a penchant for nepotism.
The ancient Chinese statue stands in contrast to the European and Russian architecture, including the "haunted" clock tower. Students say a woman who hanged herself in the structure can be heard wailing at night.
In the daytime, it stands as a monument to slowly passing time in Kunming－that is, no matter how short your stay.
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