Staying in Xiahe in the colder season added a beautiful, if bracing, layer to the experience. Xiahe County, located in the Gannan Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture of Gansu province, China, borders Qinghai province to the west. Upon arriving at the Baoma Hotel, where I stayed for two nights, I was greeted by crisp air and temperatures that hovered near freezing. The hotel’s warm, cozy atmosphere provided a much-needed retreat after being outside in the biting cold, which intensified as night fell over the Tibetan Plateau. The chill in the air seemed to highlight the remote beauty of Xiahe, with mountain views visible from the window, blanketed in misty frost.
One of the most unforgettable experiences was visiting the Labrang Monastery, which is both an active center for Tibetan Buddhism and a stunning architectural marvel. In the early morning, before the crowds arrived, I joined local Tibetan pilgrims who moved along the kora, or pilgrim path, that circles the monastery, spinning prayer wheels as they went. The thin mountain air was even chillier around dawn, but the devotion of the pilgrims seemed undeterred by the cold. Labrang’s intricate structure, with its blend of Tibetan and Han architectural elements, seemed to glow against the winter landscape. I couldn’t help but feel the reverent energy, an almost tangible devotion in the crisp air. After that, a lunch in Gannan—meaning the southern region of Gansu province—became a culinary highlight. Sitting down to a hearty meal featuring yak meat— a staple of the Tibetan diet — was both warming and grounding. The meat itself was rich and flavorful, slightly gamey but deeply satisfying, a taste uniquely suited to the high-altitude environment. The yak not only sustains the people of this region but also speaks to a lifestyle adapted to the rugged terrain and colder climate.
Another adventure was the journey to Bingling Temple, a historical gem set against the stunning cliffs along the Yellow River. To reach the temple, I took a boat across the frigid waters, a journey that offered panoramic views of the cliffs and the surrounding winter landscape. The chill on the river was even more intense, with the wind sweeping across the water. However, the sight of the temple, with its ancient Buddhist grottoes and towering statues carved into the cliffs, made every moment worthwhile. Each statue and mural at Bingling seemed to tell its own story of Buddhist influence along the Silk Road, blending artistic styles from Central Asia, India, and China into a breathtakingly unique aesthetic.
In short, the cold added an unforgettable dimension to each part of the journey, from the sacred serenity of Labrang to the warmth of Gannan’s cuisine and the haunting beauty of Bingling Temple. In Xiahe, the weather, the landscape, and the culture all seemed to intersect, each enhancing the other, making this Silk Road journey feel like stepping back into a world both ancient and alive.
This is the first American edition of Anderson’s fascinating account of Britain’s first diplomatic mission to China in 1792. By the end of the eighteenth century the East India Company had been trading with Chinese merchants for two hundred years, but in a strictly limited way.
At the dawn of the Age of Enlightenment, as the 18th century drew to a close, the Western world was eager for knowledge—driven by a philosophical movement that championed reason and science. King Louis XV of France asked for the advice of his trusted Minister of State, Henri Bertin, about how to reform the spirit of the nation, after giving it some thought, Bertin famously responded, “Sire, to inoculate the French with the Chinese spirit.”
A delegation from the Pontifical Catholic University of Rio de Janeiro (PUC-Rio), including President Anderson Pedroso, Fr. Roberto Barros Dias, President of the Leonal Franca Priest Foundation, and Yanping Sun, Chinese Director of the Confucius Institute at PUC-Rio, recently visited Beijing to deepen historical understanding and discuss potential collaborations.
Fr. Seil Oh, S.J., the Vice-President of International Affairs from Sogang University, South Korea, visited The Beijing Center (TBC) on January 6th, 2025. During his visit, he met with TBC’s Executive Director, Simon Koo, to discuss strategies for enhancing the collaboration between their respective institutions.