Universiade Venues on the Metro

This article was originally published on July 25, 2011, in the Shenzhen Daily.
The information was accurate at that time, and may be outdated now. Use with caution.

Click to see the larger map on its original page

On a recent research trip, I ran across a large map of the Metro system which, although not a complete list of Universiade venues, did highlight those venues which can be accessed from various Metro stations. Here they are, line-by-line, in more-or-less west to east or south-to-north order.

Beidi Temple, Xixiang

This article was originally published on April 1, 2011, in the Shenzhen Daily.
The information was accurate at that time, and may be outdated now. Use with caution.

This hall is surrounded on three sides by an elementary school

There's a little-discussed area out in Bao'an, Xixiang by name. Modern buses and cars speed past it on the Guang-Shen Expressway from central Shenzhen to Guangzhou; but what a lot of history it holds!

Guanyin Temple, Shajing

This article was originally published on April 8, 2011, in the Shenzhen Daily.
The information was accurate at that time, and may be outdated now. Use with caution.

A giant statue of Guanyin next to the lower pond at Guanyin Temple

I continue to hear, from supposedly-knowledgeable people, that "There is only one temple in Shenzhen." They are referring, of course, to Hong Fa Buddhist Temple in Fairy Lake (Xian Hu) Botanical Gardens.

Guangming Farm

This article was originally published on August 13, 2010, in the Shenzhen Daily.
The information was accurate at that time, and may be outdated now. Use with caution.

You can pet and feed a baby cow at Guangming Farm

Shenzhen's city dwellers know that the outlying districts provide escape from the urban beat. But did you know that Guangming District contains a working farm where you can engage in a host of relaxing activities?

The Guangming Farm (Guangming Nongchang 光明农场 ) is the place. Located far from Shenzhen's center, squeezed between Bao'an and Dongguan, the place takes a while to reach, but that's the price you pay to get away from the city!

Phoenix Mountain (Fenghuang Shan)

This article was originally published on August 6, 2010, in the Shenzhen Daily.
The information was accurate at that time, and may be outdated now. Use with caution.

The temple on Phoenix Mountain, Bao'an

Take a full day trip to Fenghuangshan (Phoenix Mountain) in Bao'an's Fuyong Town, not far from the Shenzhen Airport.

Shenzhen Airport

This article was originally published on July 1, 2011, in the Shenzhen Daily.
The information was accurate at that time, and may be outdated now. Use with caution.

NOTE: This article is now, essentially, history. In November of 2013, a new terminal was opened. Passengers arriving by Metro are now required (I'm told) to take a shuttle bus to reach the new terminal. If one rides to Airport East, the shuttle takes about 25-30 minutes; savvy travelers will take the shuttle from Hourai Station, an 8-10 minute ride. Ah, progress.

Pedestrian bridge from the Metro station to the airport terminals

On June 22, once-remote Xili (where I live) became one of the communities served by Metro Line 5, the Huanzhong Line. In honor of this lifestyle-changing event, over the next several weeks I will explore the system and some of its more interesting destinations.

First: Shenzhen Airport, via Lines 5 and 1.

Guanlan Market

This article was originally published on June 3, 2011, in the Shenzhen Daily.
The information was accurate at that time, and may be outdated now. Use with caution.

Detail of the 1923 Gongyi Hotel in Guanlan Market

Modern visitors to Guanlan might never suspect the role it played a hundred years ago. But the small river here runs north all the way to Guangzhou and thence into the Pearl, making more believable the idea that this was once one of the four main markets of Shenzhen.

Shiyan Lake

This article was originally published on March 22, 2010, in the Shenzhen Daily.
The information was accurate at that time, and may be outdated now. Use with caution.

Approach to Hongyuan Temple

Shenzhen is defined by water. The name itself means "deep ditches," a reference to the drainage that takes the wealth of water in the area into the sea

There are numerous lakes--some artificial, some natural--and many of them have resort facilities: Honey Lake, Silver Lake, Xili Lake, and today's destination, Shiyan Lake.

Hongyuan Temple, Shiyan

This article was originally published on October 10, 2011, in the Shenzhen Daily.
The information was accurate at that time, and may be outdated now. Use with caution.

Trees flank the approach to the Heavenly Kings' Hall

Many visitors to Shenzhen are familiar with Hongfa Temple in Fairy Lake, the largest Buddhist temple in the city. In fact, I have been told by many that it is the only Buddhist temple here!

But in fact, there are several others. One of them is just a short ride from my home in Xili, at Shiyan Lake (bus 392 from Window of the World underground station terminates there).

The Bao'an Labor Museum

This article was originally published on May 6, 2011, in the Shenzhen Daily.
The information was accurate at that time, and may be outdated now. Use with caution.

A statue in the courtyard of the Bao'an Labor Museum depicts Shenzhen's workers

On the bus to my regular visits to the smell Buddhist temple at Shiyan Lake, I have often seen a sign in Shiyan announcing the "Shenzhen (Baoan) Labor Museum." Finally, on this Labor Day weekend, I decided to jump off the bus and have a look.