2 comments about The New Yangzi River Trilogy, Vol. 3: The Three Gorges and the Upper Yangzi (New Yangzi River Trilogy).

1. "The Three Gorges and the Upper Yangzi" actually covers the Yangzi River from Wuhan to Chongqing inclusive. It offers rich historical/cultural background joined with practical travel information, colorful photos, and maps.
   
   This third volume in the New Yangzi series starts with a 96 page chapter on the three Wuhan cities of Hankou, Hanyang and Wuchang. This chapter offers the most authoritative history and description of sights in Wuhan currently available in the English language.
   
   After a brief foray into a bend of the Yangzi that passes through Hunan province, including descriptions of Yueyang and Dongting Lake, the book returns to Hubei province by looking at the cities of Shashi, Jingzhou, and Yichang.
   
   The chapter on Jingzhou is especially valuable. This 53-page chapter is the first detailed description of Jingzhou ever published in the English language. Jingzhou has one of the best preserved intact city walls in China, and yet it has been completely overlooked by overseas travelers and all other English guide books.
   
   The bulk of the book, more than 140 pages, covers all three of the famous Three Gorges (San Xia).
   
   After this comes a 37 page chapter on the city of Chongqing.
   
   There are also topical chapters focusing on cultural/historical issues such as Taoism (Dao Jiao), the biography of the Chu statesman Qu Yuan, the Three Kingdoms (San Guo), the history of navigation on the Yangzi River, and a description of the traditional native sailing ships.
   
   In the back of the book can be found a full-length bibliography of English and Chinese sources, an English-Chinese language glossary, and a subject index.
   
   This completion of the three-volume New Yangzi River series by Singapore's Times Media Ltd. clearly makes it an impressive alternative choice to the Odyssey Yangzi Guide, which until now had been the only choice for readers and travelers since it was first published in 1985. No longer can it be said that there is only one choice for those seeking a comprehensive in-depth guide to the Yangzi River.



2. Book Review by F.N. from the October 13, 2005 issue of City Weekend magazine published in Beijing and Shanghai.
   
   The New Yangzi River Trilogy Volumes 2 & 3
   By Eric N. Danielson
   
   The final two installations of the Yangzi trilogy, Nanjing and the Lower Yangzi and The Three Gorges and the Upper Yangzi, present to the reader one of the most accurate accounts of two fascinating regions of a river that has played a pivotal role in China's long history. Continuing from the first volume's description of Shanghai and the Yangzi Delta, Eric Danielson delves into Nanjing's turbulent history as a southern center of power from the Three Kingdoms Period right through to the Taipings, the Guomindang, it's fateful demise during Japanese occupation and Liberation in April 1949. The book contains such detail on almost every aspect of Nanjing, from city gates, architecture, walls, temples, tombs and parks, that it seems remarkable that the chap is still not stuck down some pit trying to find a monument where first emperor of the Ming Dynasty, Hong Wu, might have paused to have his shoe laces tied.
   
   This exactitude continues on what is just short of an epic journey up the Yangzi from Nanjing in Jiangsu Province through Anhui and Jiangxi Provinces. Volume 2: Nanjing and the Lower Yangzi concludes with an interesting commentary on the region's imperial past noting many of the major Treaty Ports and relevant characters involved in trade, enterprise and attempts at converting the natives to something resembling Christianity.
   
   After all the temple hopping we continue upriver with Volume 3: The Three Gorges and the Upper Yangzi. This stretch of the river takes us through Hunan and Hubei provinces, The Three Gorges and their ensuing local points of interest and finally to the heart of south-western culture, Chongqing. The first stop is Wuhan. Similar to the other regional capitals dealt with in the previous two volumes, Wuhan is generously described in over 90 pages (most guide-books do this in less than 10), as is Chongqing. The Three Gorges are described in every aspect from Du Fu's former local haunts to the much-talked about Three Gorges Dam project.
   
   This series of books can not be faulted in any way for its lack of detail for Danielson has gone to great lengths to enable the reader to have as much possible information on every aspect of the chosen destinations from Shanghai to Chongqing, leaving absolutely no memorial rock unturned, and includes many remarkable accounts of local history, politics, architecture, art, music, religion and many an anecdote concerning regional personalities of yore. However, sometimes it can be possible to have too much information, leaving little for the inquisitive traveller to discover for him or her self. Perhaps a trifle heavy for a travel book and not quite glossy enough for the coffee table, one wonders as to the exact, intended purpose of the series. Definitive? Absolutely. Travel guide? Try it for yourself.

3 comments about Lonely Planet Beijing City Map (Maps & Atlases).

1. If you're off to Beijing for the first time, then this map is for you. The bicycle tour is the best part and the map is pretty comprehensive with most of the touristy things you'd like to see on a map. The map is typical of most LP maps but lacks a Metro map which would be handy to have. Of course, use this map in conjunction with a good Beijing city guide and a Metro map, and you're all set.



2. As one who just returned from four years in the city and is planning to return in a few months, I began a futile search for a completely updated map of Beijing and found this one. The search proved futile because the map makers always seem to be at least 2-4 years behind the times, which in Beijing time is like a decade or more in the States. Keep in mind that this map, while useful, reflects this time lag. For example, it does not show Ping An Li, a major east-west running street northwest of the city center, as a continuation of Dianmen to the east, which runs by Beihai Lake. Instead, it indicates that hutongs (alley streets) intervene. To be fair, none of the other maps depict this accurately either (and this street has been in this expanded form for at least 6 years).

   However, this map is laminated, which will allow it to last much longer in a city where fine sand sometimes prevails and grime often works its way into everything. Moreover, it is user-friendly because all of the locations are in a combination of English and Pinyin and the layout enables both to be easier to read (especially in poorly lit taxis). For the sake of taxicab drivers (and users who cannot pronounce Pinyin), it would be even more helpful if it also included Chinese characters of major roadways, etc. Still, the inset maps of major tourist sites are nice and convenient and it's durable laminated surface makes it easy to open and close when you're in a hurry. Recommended.




3. I thought I was getting a 'real' map ... unfold it, spread it out on the kitchen table type Big map with details. Not the case. The actual Map dimensions of Beijing and surrounding area, when unfolded, is ONLY 9 in. x 11 3/8 in. Only 1 in. bigger than standard print paper.
   
   There are MORE streets WITHOUT names than there are with. Then on the other side is the same size Blow up of Central Bejing.. Small! Again, not good on details. A magnifying glass is needed to find most of the other sights that Lonely planet did put on the map..... but then there no names of the streets to be able to find the sights .. only larger streets are listed.
   
   I only give it 3/4 of a star for showing the Subway stops with their name.
   I give them 2/4 of a star for laminating. There just wasn't much to laminate.
   I give them 3/4 of a star for the map index

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