Magic Haijing , Xiamen Hotels first blog

Christmas Night , the Millennium Xiamen Hotel’s Sight

2010-12-26T00:46:00.000+08:00

The night is on

The Santa Claus is coming to town

Zhongshan Road is Xiamen's oldest and hottest shopping street, by the side , laid the Millennuim Harbourview Hotel Xiamen

Through the Christmas tree, and reindeer we can see the shape of Millennuim Harbourview Hotel Xiamen

The Avatar's world ? the flashing , shining reindeers and trees confusing me...

The other side to Millennium Xiamen Hotel is the ZhongHua Cheng Shopping Mall , probably the biggest in Town when it opens shortly

Carrefour , the only Supermarket opened so far in Zhonghua Cheng has 1000 park lots

Along all the sparkling lights arund Zhongshan Road , Millennium Harbourview Hotel Xiamen has its position , looking calmly aside

The Santa Claus with his Angels singing along inMillennium Harbourview Hotel Xiamen , evry corners, every Restuarants , What a Holy Night!

Anything about Xiamen Hotels , the very best of Xiamen Hotels . From Magic Millennium , Magic Haijing Wanna make a hotel reservation in the Best Xiamen Hotels , Simply Millennium Harbourview Hotel Xiamen ? Make hotel reservation here!

2010 China Ladies Open will kick off in Xiamen Orient Golf Club

2010-11-29T18:46:00.002+08:00

Magic Haijing, Xiamen Hotels First Blog Present:

2010 China Ladies Open will kick off in Xiamen Orient Golf Club 13th to 19th December 2010.

China Ladies Open, to be contested over three rounds at Xiamen Orient Golf Club, is a co-sanctioned event with the Korea LPGA Tour. The top-40 players from the KLPGA Tour Order of Merit will join the competition. In addition, the tournament will also feature players from the China mainland, Hong Kong, Chinese-Taipei and Macau, among others.

The China Ladies Open, which is now in its fifth year, has gone from strength to strength with each passing year. The quality of the golf has attracted strong fields and the tournament has become a major event for the golf world at the end of the year.

Champion of year 2009 ,Ryu So Yeon

For the Champion of previous years , please see below :

2009 Ryu So Yeon Korea 211 （-5）

2008 Choi He Young Korea 205（-11）

2007 Shin, Ji Yai Korea 203（ -13）

2006 Shin, Ji Yai Korea 203(-17)

http://www.whatsonxiamen.com/event1775.html

http://sports.sina.com.cn/golf/cpgatour/2009ladyopen20100414.html

A Sound Feast in Xiamen, Lin YeYan Solo Concert

2010-11-26T17:44:00.002+08:00

Magic Haijing, Xiamen Hotels First Blog Present:

Last Saturday , 20th of November , 2010 , a night for the ears .

In Hongtai Concert Hall of Xiamen , there was lasting for two hours of a feast of sound from a singer from Music Performance Specialty of Xiamen University, Ms. Lin YeYan .

The First part of the concert was her solo with Piano accompaniment, her strong charactor of chinese style folk songs marking the beautiful soprano voice . Frankly speaking , it was a shock !

The sencond part was accompanied by the whole Ochestra fo Xiamen Song and Dance Ensemble and choru ,a more challenging and exciting music wave grasped your heart. Ms. Lin 's teacher , Mr ZhouQiang , professor of Central Conservatory of Music in Beijing , offered his utterly unbeatable voice to make a highlight of the night.

The whole concert was unforgettable , everyone is expecting another chance to watch and hear a concert like this in Xiamen , really classic.

Anything about Xiamen Hotels , the very best of Xiamen Hotels . From Magic Millennium , Magic Haijing Wanna make a hotel reservation in the Best Xiamen Hotels , Simply Millennium Harbourview Hotel Xiamen ? Make hotel reservation here!

Cigar Guy Still Makes My Life Fun ,Nothing Related to Golf Though

2010-11-24T17:55:00.001+08:00

When it happened few weeks ago , filling my screen with laughters , Cigar Guy never never disappears from my eyes. I collected my favourite pictures online for Cigar Guy , just to remember him how much he brought to us all , though nothing about Golf .

It all started with an extraordinary photograph, some say one of the best sports pictures ever taken. Captured by The Mail on Sunday's Mark Pain, it showed Tiger Woods fluffing a chip at the Ryder Cup – his ball heading straight towards the camera lens. If that wasn't remarkable enough, there was another arresting element to the image.

Standing behind Woods was a wide-eyed spectator smoking a fat cigar and wearing a Groucho Marx moustache and ginger wig. Nicknamed 'Cigar Guy' he became an overnight internet phenomenon after the picture appeared in The Mail on Sunday and MailOnline last week.

Suddenly millions were obsessed with the moustachioed mystery man. His smiling face was pasted into the backdrop of countless historic photographs which then buzzed around the net. He acquired his own fan club and received marriage proposals.A reward was offered to anyone who could unmask him.

Cigar Guy in Inception

Cigar Guy in Normandy

Cigar Guy at the end of World War Two, the New York Times Square

Cigar Guy Leads the freedom

When Cigar Guy Standing at the Statue of Liberty

When Cigar Guy helped Lincoln in the Civil War

The king , Cigar Guy Ali

Cigar Guy Never missed the chance with the President

When Ciagr Guy captured the most important time of the World War Two

Cigar Guy Rocks beatles

OK, the last Glimpse at our Cigar Guy

Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/golf/article-1319238/Cigar-guy-revealed-We-man-stood-Tiger-Woods-internet-sensation.html#ixzz16BiVX4e4

Anything about Xiamen Hotels , the very best of Xiamen Hotels . From Magic Millennium , Magic Haijing Wanna make a hotel reservation in the Best Xiamen Hotels , Simply Millennium Harbourview Hotel Xiamen ? Make hotel reservation here!

Xiamen Moon Cake Gambling (Bobing) in Mid-Autumn Festival Fun

2010-09-25T21:11:00.001+08:00

Magic Haijing, Xiamen Hotels First Blog Talks

Have you ever been to Xiamen ? Have you ever known about Xiamen ? Do you in Xiamen Chinese New Year is never as hot as Mid-Autumn Festival? A recent China Daily article gave you a link to the above questions .

The moon is becoming rounder and brighter - so the Mid-Autumn Festival must be just around the corner.
And people are surrounded by pile of mooncakes which would cost them months to consume.

Yet in Xiamen, a coastal city of East China's Fujian Province, you find a pack of six dice inside after opening every gaudily-decorated box of mooncakes.

Gambling? Right, but it is definitely legal. Because the stakes among the locals are mooncakes - and that is how this unique celebrating activity has got its
Chinese name "Bo Bing." It is played only around the Mid-Autumn Festival.

The Mid-Autumn Festival falls on the 15th day of the 8th month of the Chinese lunar calendar, and in this year it falls on Septemper 28.

For centuries, the Mid-Autumn Festival has encouraged family reunions, big feasts and enjoyment of a beautiful full moon.

But for people in Xiamen, their exciting games have just started.

Easy to play though, the games have quite complicated rules hard to remember. So it is thoughtful for some mooncake manufacturers to print the rules on the package.

All the "Bo Bing" game requires are six dice and a china bowl. Just throw the dice into the bowl - and the different pips you get stand for different ranks of awards you will win.

When walking along streets in this tiny island during this time, you will hear the pleasant silvery sound of the dice rolling. Cheers of winning or loss are everywhere.

The 300-year-old custom of mooncake gambling dates back to the Qing Dynasty
(1644-1911). The inventor, Zheng Chenggong (1624-62), a general of the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644), stationed his army in Xiamen. Zheng was determined to recover Taiwan, which was occupied by Dutch invaders since 1624.

When every Mid-Autumn Festival came, the soldiers naturally missed their families but fought with heroical determination to drive off the aggressors.

General Zheng and his lower officer Hong Xu invented mooncake gambling to help relieve homesickness among the troops.

The gambling game has six ranks of awards, which are named as the winners in ancient imperial examinations, and has 63 different sized mooncakes as prizes.
From the lowest to the highest, the titles of six ranks are Xiucai (the one who passed the examination at the county level), Juren (a successful candidate at the provincial level), Jinshi (a successful candidate in the highest imperial
examination), Tanhua, Bangyan and Zhuangyuan (respectively the number three to number one winners in the imperial examination at the presence of the emperor).
Game players throw the dice by turns. Different pips they count win the player a relevant "title" and corresponding type of mooncakes.

The lucky player who gets the pips to make it the title of "Zhuangyuan," will be the biggest winner in the game, and gain the largest mooncake.

In ancient China, to win the imperial examination was the only way to enter an official career which was the dream of most learners, since the examination system was established in the Sui Dynasty (AD 581-618).

No wonder then, if a person won "Zhuangyuan" through the imperial examination, the success would bring great honour to both him and his family, followed with a high-level position and a great sum of money.

The game has something to do with the number "four." In mooncake gambling, the pips for most ranks of the awards are related to this number.

For instance, one die of four pips wins you "Xiucai" and the smallest mooncake. And if you get four or more dice of four pips, then congratulations - you win "Zhuangyuan."

The game provides 32 mooncakes for "Xiucai," 16 for "Juren" and the rest may be deduced by analogy. Only one player will win the lucky title "Zhuangyuan." That is why a total of 63 mooncakes are prepared for the game.

As a game well combining culture, folk custom and recreation, mooncake gambling soon got popular among troops.

So General Zheng approved of the soldiers playing the game in turn from the 13th to the 18th of the 8th month around the Mid-Autumn Festival.

Since then, "Bo Bing" has become a popular traditional activity among local people. On every Mid-Autumn Festival, family members gather to gamble mooncakes, deep in arguments about who will be the winner.

Also cake confectioneries will produce many kinds of gambling cakes to cater to the market.

Xiamen people believe that the person who wins "Zhuangyuan" in the game, will have good luck that year. And the Mid-Autumn Festival is the second important holiday in Xiamen besides Spring Festival.

Nowadays, the mooncakes are not the only kind of award. With the upgrade of people's living standards, daily necessities, household appliances and even money can also be won.

What's more, peopleadd funny rules. If the dice read "six," then forget all those boring ranks. Turn off all the lights, and then seize as many prizes as possible in the darkness. It is a combination of good memory, high speed and a strong body.
Changes of prizes has made the game even popular among younger generations.
New trend

Jin Song, an IT manager, recently prepared the awards for his family's "Bo Bing" game on Mid-Autumn Festival of this year.

Like other families, Jin's family attaches great importance to the festival. It is a custom for him and his two sisters to share the expenses of the game.
After the big dinner on each Mid-Autumn Festival, Jin's families start their annual family game.

"Everyone is excited during the game," Jin said. "Even my parents are as happy as their grandsons.

"It's a way for us to show our filial piety. My sisters and I are very busy with our work. But we're trying to stay with our parents as much as we can. And the game always brings lots of fun during our family gathering on the festival."
As a traditional celebration activity, "Bo Bing" is highly welcome not only in local families but in official departments and companies.

When Mid-Autumn Festival comes, many companies organize various "Bo Bing" games and purchase rich awards as a benefit to their staff.

Now the widespread folk game has become a major highlight of Xiamen.

Sponsored by the local government, the First Mooncake Gambling Festival was held before the Mid-Autumn Festival last year at the well-known Gulangyu Island in Xiamen.

The month-long grand festival attracted thousands of participants from Fujian, Hong Kong, Taiwan, Macao as well as people from some Southeast Asian countries.
During the festival, along with "Bo Bing" game, a series of events were also held including a design contest, a forum on Xiamen's mooncake culture, a puppet show and other folk singing and dancing performances.

What's more, "Bo Bing"is now enjoyed by tourists. "I love the game," said Zhong Rui, a young girl now working in Xiamen after graduating from Nanchang University in East China's Jiangxi Province last July.

"I've never seen a game before like 'Bo Bing' which is so popular among people of all ages," she said. "It's fantastic!"

"I believe the 'Bo Bing' lubricates relations among our team members and unites us," Zhong said.

"The funny and exciting game distracts me from my homesickness," she added.
"Thanks to the game, the traditional Mid-Autumn Festival will never fade from the minds of the young generation like me."

resource:

http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/english/doc/2004-09/28/content_378318.htm
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mooncake

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The Mid-Autumn Festival and The Moon Cake

2010-09-25T20:59:00.001+08:00

Magic Haijing, Xiamen Hotels First Blog Talks

Moon Cake Festival: A Mid-Autumn Festival (Chung Chiu), the third major festival of the Chinese calendar, is celebrated on the 15th day of the eighth month. This festival corresponds to harvest festival s observed by Western cultures (in Hong Kong, it is held in conjunction with the annual Lantern Festival).

Contrary to what most people believe, this festival probably has less to do with harvest festivities than with the philosophically minded chinese of old. The union of man's spirit with nature in order to achieve perfect harmony was the fundamental canon of Taoism, so much so that contemplation of nature was a way of life.

Mooncakes are Chinese bakery products traditionally eaten during the Mid-Autumn Festival / Zhongqiu Festival. The festival is for lunar worship and moon watching; moon cakes are regarded as an indispensable delicacy on this occasion. Mooncakes are offered between friends or on family gatherings while celebrating the festival. The Mid-Autumn Festival is one of the four most important Chinese festivals.

Typical mooncakes are round or rectangular pastries, measuring about 10 cm in diameter and 4-5 cm thick. A thick filling usually made from lotus seed paste is surrounded by a relatively thin (2-3 mm) crust and may contain yolks from salted duck eggs. Mooncakes are usually eaten in small wedges accompanied by Chinese tea. Today, it is customary for businessmen and families to present them to their clients or relatives as presents, helping to fuel a demand for high-end mooncake styles.

First lady on the moon: It is generally conceded that Neil Armstrong , the American astronaut, was the first man on moon ( he made that historic landing in 1969). But that's not necessarily the truth to Chinese, who believe that the first people on the moon was a beautiful woman who lived during the Hsia dynasty (2205-1766BC)

This somewhat complicated moon-landing story goes like this: A woman , Chang-O, was married to the great General Hou-Yi of the Imperial Guard. General Hou was a skilled archer. One day, at the behest of the emperor, he shot down eight of nine suns that had mysteriously appeared in the heaven that morning. His marksmanship was richly rewarded by the emperor and he became very famous. However, the people feared that these suns would appear again to torture them and dry up the planet, so they prayed to the Goddess of Heaven (Wang Mu) to make General Hou immortal so that he could always defend the emperor, his progeny and the country. Their wish was granted and General Hou was given a Pill of Immortality.

Another version of this story notes that Chang-O, the wife of the Divine Archer, shot down nine of ten suns plaguing the world and received the Herb of Immortality as a reward.

Whoever the hero was, Chang-O grabbed the pill (or the herb) and fled to the moon. In some versions it is uncertain whether she ever actually got there, because Chinese operas always portray her as still dancing-flying toward the moon.

When Chang-O reached the moon, she found a tree under which there was a friendly hare. Because the air on the moon is cold, she began coughing and the Immortality Pill came out of her throat. She thought it would be good to pound the pill into small pieces and scatter them on Earth so that everyone could be immortal. So she ordered the hare to pound the pill, built a palace for herself and remained on the moon.

This helpful hare is referred to in Chinese mythology as the Jade Hare. Because of his and Chang-O's legendary importance, you will see - stamped on every mooncake, every mooncake box, and every Moon Cake Festival poster - images of Chang-O and sometimes the Jade Hare.

Peace Hotel Brings Shanghai History Back

2010-09-25T20:54:00.001+08:00

Magic Haijing, Xiamen Hotels First Blog Talks

Peace Hotel

A History， A Miracle

Number One mansion in the Far East

Now , Today , in 2010 , renamed as

Fairmont Peace Hotel

20 Nanjing Road East
Shanghai,
China

With its old jazz band ( average age over 75) , 9 Nation Suites , and new Presidential Suite originated from Sassoon Penthhouse , it is coming back .

Fairmont Peace Hotel has been a Shanghai landmark for over eight decades, enjoying a premier location on the Bund, facing the Pudong area over the Huangpu River.
The hotel is truly a fusion of ancient and modern, Eastern and Western, and was built in the Gothic style of the Chicago School.

The hotel is divided into the South Building and the North Building. Construction on the North Building, which was known as Sassoon House, started in 1926. Named for its owner, Sir Victor Sassoon, a prominent British businessman, the building rose 10 storeys and was designed by P & T (Palmer and Turner) Architects Limited. Floors four through nine comprised the Cathay Hotel, which officially opened on September 5, 1929.

Here is the Front Desk of Peace Hotel 1929

The hotel was widely known as the luxurious "Number One mansion in the Far East ", due to its prime location along the Bund, and for its grandeur, including the distinctive copper-sheathed roof that rises 77 meters above ground, white Italian marble floors, and priceless Lalique glass artwork.

The Cathay Hotel welcomed distinguished guests from all over the world, including politicians, financiers, entrepreneurs, important Chinese officials and

celebrities, such as General Marshall, Charlie Chaplin and Bernard Shaw. It was here that Noel Coward completed his famous play "Private Lives". The hotel was also renowned for its Old Jazz Bar, a favourite of the city’s expatriate community. Its band of six veteran musicians entertained dignitaries from around the world, and also toured to great acclaim in the United States and Asia.

After the founding of the People's Republic of China in 1949, some of the offices were used by the Municipal Finance Committee. In 1952 the building was taken over by the Municipal Government. In 1956 it resumed trading as a hotel under the name "Peace Hotel".

German Suite

The South Building dates back to the 1850’s, when it was known as Central Hotel. In 1903, the hotel was restructured and renamed Palace Hotel. Reaching six stories, it was the tallest building on Nanjing Road at the time. The building that stands today, featuring a Renaissance style exterior, was completed in 1908 and offered two elevators, the first building in Shanghai to do so. The hotel played a prominent role in local history over the coming decades. It was occupied by the Japanese army during World War II, and was used by the Municipal Construction Department from 1952 to 1965, when it returned to its original function as part of the Peace Hotel.
In 1992, Peace Hotel was listed as one of the famous hotels of the world by the World Hotel Association. It remains the only hotel in China to have received this recognition.

Return to Glamour

In 2007, the grand hotel closed for an extensive refurbishment program under the direction of HBA/Hirsch Bedner Associates. The scope of the restoration has been all encompassing, providing a dramatic renewal of both the interior and exterior of the hotel, including guest rooms, the lobby, as well as the full range of dining and entertainment venues and guest facilities. The historic property has undergone a detailed structural study to define the hotel’s original floor plan and design schematics, with the intent to retain, architecturally, as much as possible.

The revitalized Fairmont Peace Hotel offers 270 deluxe guestrooms and suites with a selection of six restaurants and lounges. Included among these is the much-loved Jazz Bar, a Shanghai institution since the 1930s. In addition, the Jasmine Lounge on the ground floor, a mezzanine-level wine and cigar bar Cin Cin, as well as a heritage Chinese restaurant Dragon Phoenix on the 8th floor offer a new level of elegance and comfort befitting of today’s discerning travellers.

This level will also host the Peace Hall, with its famed sprung-timber dance floor, plus several meeting rooms and an expansive outdoor terrace. A low-rise extension added to the rear of the hotel will house some guestrooms, plus plus Fairmont’s award-winning Willow Stream Spa and a private, sky-lit swimming pool. The famous ‘Nine Nations Suites’ will remain a feature of the new hotel: four of these (Indian, English, Chinese and American) will be preserved from the old Peace Hotel, while the French, Italian, Spanish, Japanese and German suites will be redesigned in keeping with their original concepts.

A Presidential Suite will occupy the 10th-floor penthouse where the hotel’s flamboyant creator and former owner, Victor Sassoon, once lived.
The refurbished Fairmont Peace Hotel will usher in a new era of elegance and comfort for discerning travelers to Shanghai. The hotel’s glamorous restyling will enable it to sit alongside Fairmont’s impressive list of heritage hotels worldwide, including The Savoy, London and the Fairmont San Francisco.
Fairmont Hotels & Resorts looks forward to opening the doors to Fairmont Peace Hotel in 2010, and welcoming guests from all over the world to experience this legendary property.

Stay with the best , only the best , Millennium Harbourview Hotel Xiamen .

Anything about Xiamen Hotels , the very best of Xiamen Hotels . From Magic Millennium , Magic Haijing Wanna make a hotel reservation in the Best Xiamen Hotels , Simply Millennium Harbourview Hotel Xiamen ? Make hotel reservation here!

The Charming Dance of Penang in Xiamen Trade Fair (CIFIT) - Travel Forum

2010-09-13T20:32:00.001+08:00

Magic Haijing, Xiamen Hotels First Blog Present:

2010's Xiamen Trade Fair has more to tell you , the Travel Forum was mixed with culture .

After I finished the Yoga Show , I was attracted by the main Stage , the Fujian Local Dance was just about to be over. It is a dance that shows the tea celebration , the Hui'an ladies are very unique for their clothing, Just a pity I come up with the end.

And then A group of Malaysian Dancers jumped up to hook the eyes of all the audience .

More and more smoke and bubble ejected on stage , the dance bacame sort of fascinating ;

The image gives me a feeling of ancient time back , a royal celebration or ceremony .

What I was pleased at the end was the kid , gazing for long time at the dancers

Don't go away , more interesting images in the Xiamen Trade Fair 2010( CIFIT ) , SEE YOU in the next Post !
Stay with the best , only the best , Millennium Harbourview Hotel Xiamen .

Anything about Xiamen Hotels , the very best of Xiamen Hotels . From Magic Millennium , Magic Haijing Wanna make a hotel reservation in the Best Xiamen Hotels , Simply Millennium Harbourview Hotel Xiamen ? Make hotel reservation here!

The Beautiful Yoga Duo Show at the Xiamen Trade Fair - Travel Forum

2010-09-13T20:29:00.001+08:00

Magic Haijing, Xiamen Hotels First Blog Present:

As I walked into the Hall of CIFIT ( Xiamen Trade Fair ) , I had been an explorer of all kinds of interests , business , shopping, interior design, traveling, dancing show ....... , as many as one can find.

Today ,What I want to show you is not you will imagine in this Fair.

Goya Show , by two girls

I just saw them through a tree by chance , all the people watch them at the front side , but I catch few pretty good shots at the back side .

Then I was impressed by the Duo performance of Yoga , such a harmony.

Amazing ! Isn't it?!

Of cause there were other spots to watch , I am not saying I will stop here .

See you in the next post !

Stay with the best , only the best , Millennium Harbourview Hotel Xiamen .

UNCTAD's second World Investment Forum Starts Today in Xiamen

2010-09-06T17:12:00.002+08:00

Magic Haijing, Xiamen Hotels First Blog Present:

The UNCTAD's second World Investment Forum (WIF) is to be held on 6-9 September, 2010 in Xiamen, China. The Forum is being organized in connection with the China International Fair for Investment and Trade (CIFIT), to take place in Xiamen on 8-11 September.

The special program of the Forum the Ministerial Roundtable on "Revisiting investment policies" is to take place on 7 September.

The Roundtable will involve Ministers dealing with investment and heads of international organizations. It will focus on today's challenges of ensuring coherence in investment policymaking, both nationally and internationally. It will provide for a high-level exchange of visions, strategies and practical experiences in maximizing FDI-included development outcomes through appropriate balancing between investment liberalization and regulation, and ensuring policy coherence.

Here is the schedule from Official web site of CIFIT, the China International Fair for Investment and Trade

resource: http://www.chinafair.org.cn/english/News/MajorEvents.aspx?fallnum=14

http://www.whatsonxiamen.com/event1581.html

2	World Investment Forum 2010	Welcome Banquet	18:00-20:00 Sep 6	Banquet Hall, Xiamen Int’l Convention Center	1,000	International Department of the Ministry of Commerce Investment Promotion Bureau of the Ministry of Commerce	VIPs of forums and conferences, representatives from certain member organizations
	World Investment Forum 2010	Opening Ceremony & Global Investment Summit	Opening Ceremony 9:00-9:45 Sep 7 Investment Summit 10:00-13:00	Taiwan Straits Hall, Xiamen Int’l Convention Center	1,500	International Department of the Ministry of Commerce Investment Promotion Bureau of the Ministry of Commerce	All forum participants and VIPs in the Exhibition, and representatives from certain member organizations
	World Investment Forum 2010	Symposium on China’s International Investment Strategy	9:30-18:00 Sep 7	Conference Room IB, Xiamen Int’l Convention Center	40- 50	Foreign Department of the Ministry of Commerce China Association of Enterprises with Foreign Investment	Forum participants with special invitation and representatives from multinational companies
	World Investment Forum 2010	Lunchtime Activity: Activity 1: Lunchtime Interaction	13:00-15:00, Sep 7	Banquet Hall, Xiamen Int’l Convention Center	1,000	Investment Promotion Bureau of the Ministry of Commerce	All participants of forums and representatives from certain member organizations
	World Investment Forum 2010	Lunchtime Activity: Activity 2: The Eighth Conference of the International Investment Advisory Committee	13:00-15:00, Sep 7	Conference Room 3A01, Xiamen Int’l Convention Center	40	Investment Promotion Bureau of the Ministry of Commerce	Forum participants with special invitation	By Invitation
2	World Investment Forum 2010	Roundtable Conference of Ministers	15:00-18:00Sep 7	Conference Room IF, Xiamen Int’l Convention Center	700	International Department of the Ministry of Commerce Investment Promotion Bureau of the Ministry of Commerce	Forum participants and representatives from certain member organizations
	World Investment Forum 2010	High-Level Tripartite Sessions (Session 1): Global Investment Prospects	10:00-12:00, Sep 8	Conference Room IF, Xiamen Int’l Convention Center	700	Investment Promotion Bureau of the Ministry of Commerce	Forum participants and representatives from certain member organizations
	World Investment Forum 2010	International Investment Agreements Conference 2010	10:00-18:00, Sep 8	Conference Rooms ID and IE, Xiamen Int’l Convention Center	300- 400	Investment Promotion Bureau of the Ministry of Commerce	Forum participants with special invitation,
	World Investment Forum 2010	Promoting Responsible Sovereign Lending and Borrowing	10:00-18:00, Sep 8	Conference Room IB, Xiamen Int’l Convention Center	150	Investment Promotion Bureau of the Ministry of Commerce	Forum participants with special invitation
2	World Investment Forum 2010	Sustainable Stock Exchanges 2010	10:00-18:00, Sep 8	Conference Rooms 2A01 and 2A02, Xiamen Int’l Convention Center	150	Investment Promotion Bureau of the Ministry of Commerce	Forum participants with special invitation
		Lunchtime Activity: High-Level Tripartite Sessions	12:00-13:30 Sep 8	Banquet Hall, Xiamen Int’l Convention Center	300- 400	Investment Promotion Bureau of the Ministry of Commerce	Forum participants with special invitation
		Lunchtime Activity: 2010 Annual International Investment Agreements Conference			300- 350	Investment Promotion Bureau of the Ministry of Commerce	Forum participants with special invitation,
		Lunchtime Activity: Sustainable Stock Exchanges 2010			200	Investment Promotion Bureau of the Ministry of Commerce	Forum participants with special invitation
		High-Level Tripartite Sessions (Session 2): Re-strategizing Investment Promotion	13:30-15:30Sep 8	Conference Room IF, Xiamen Int’l Convention Center	700	Investment Promotion Bureau of the Ministry of Commerce	Forum participants with special invitation
2	World Investment Forum 2010	Best Investment Promotion Awards Presenting Ceremony & Networking Luncheon	Sept. 8, 12:00-14:00	Banquet Hall, Xiamen Int’l Conference & Exhibition Center	1000	Investment Promotion Agency, MOFCOM	Invited VIPs
		High-Level Tripartite Sessions (Session 3): Entering into the Green Race	16:00-18:00Sep 8	Conference Room IF, Xiamen Int’l Convention Center	700	Investment Promotion Bureau of the Ministry of Commerce	Forum participants with special invitation,
		Dinnertime Activity: High-Level Tripartite Sessions	18:00 Sep 8	Banquet Hall, Xiamen Int’l Convention Center	300- 400	Investment Promotion Bureau of the Ministry of Commerce	Forum participants with special invitation
		Dinnertime Activity: International Investment Agreements Conference 2010			300- 350	Investment Promotion Bureau of the Ministry of Commerce	Forum participants with special invitation,
		Dinnertime Activity: Sustainable Stock Exchanges 2010			200	Investment Promotion Bureau of the Ministry of Commerce	Forum participants with special invitation
		Reception Cocktail	Sept. 8, 18:00-19:30	Banquet Hall, Xiamen Int’l Conference & Exhibition Center	1000	International Dept. & Investment Promotion Agency, MOFCOM; Operational Dept., CIFIT Organizing Dept.	Forum Participants; Representatives from Member Units

The 6th Straits Travel Fair Starts Today in Xiamen as part of CIFIT

2010-09-06T17:06:00.002+08:00

Magic Haijing, Xiamen Hotels First Blog Present:

When the time comes , for Xiamen , it is really something special !

China International Fair for Investment & Trade (CIFIT) in Xiamen starting
today , inlcuding NCTAD's World Investment Forum 2010 (WIF), The 6th Straits Travel Fair,etc.

Here is the schedule for the The 6th Straits Travel Fair from the official Website of CIFIT.

No	Event		Date & Time	Venue	Attendance	Sponsor	Participants	Remarks
1	The 6th Straits Travel Fair	Meetings between leaders of the Organizing Committee and VIPs	16:00 Sep 6	Seaview Hall, Pavilion 1, Xiamen Int’l Conference & Exhibition Center	50-60	Fujian Provincial Tourism Administration Xiamen Municipal Tourism Administration	Leaders of China National Tourism Administration, Taiwan Affairs Office and Fujian Provincial People’s Government, VIPs from Taiwan, Hong Kong and Macao and media organizations	By Invitation
		Opening Ceremony and Welcome Dinner	Sep 6 Opening Ceremony 17:30-18:00 Welcome Dinner 18:00-19:30	Multi-media Room, Exhibition, 5/F, Pavilion 1, Xiamen Int’l Conference & Exhibition Center	600		All guests and certain exhibitors	By Invitation
		Promotion Exposition of Tourism by the Exhibitors	9:00-12:00,Sep 7	Xianglu Grand Hotel (Xiamen)	120		Participants in the exhibition, travel agencies and Media organizations
		Straits Tourism “1+1” Fair (Matchmaking of Travel Agencies)	14:30-17:30 Sep 7	Xianglu Grand Hotel (Xiamen)	120		Participating travel agencies and media organizations
		Signing Ceremony for Major Tourism Projects	10:00 Sep 8	Lobby of Hall C, Xiamen Int’l Conference & Exhibition Center			Travel agencies, investment firms and media organizations
		Awarding Ceremony for the Selection of Mt. Taimu as “the Favorite Tourism Destination of the Chinese Youths)	10:30-11:00, Sep 8	Exhibition Hall L, Pavilion 2, Xiamen Int’l Conference & Exhibition Center			Fujian Provincial Government, Fujian Provincial Tourism Administration, leaders of the China Youth Daily, representatives of College Students, award-wining organizations, and VIPs from Tourism Fair

UNCTAD´s 2nd World Investment Forum (WIF) set for 6-9 September in Xiamen, China

2010-09-01T19:22:00.001+08:00

Magic Haijing, Xiamen Hotels First Blog Present:

Great news coming to Xiamen says that UNCTAD´s 2nd World Investment Forum set for 6-9 September in Xiamen, China. What does it mean?

The China International Fair for Investment and Trade (CIFIT), approved by the State Council of the People's Republic of China, takes place on September 8-11 every year in Xiamen, China. and this year WIF joins in to make this event even bigger .

About the Golden Key
CIFIT's "golden key" logo, consisting of numbers "9" and "8" and letters "CIFIT", indicates that CIFIT takes place on September 8 each year in Xiamen, and symbolizes both CIFIT's sustainable prosperity and your golden key to success.

As the official website states , themed on "Introducing FDI" and "Going Global", CIFIT features a focus upon nationality and internationality, upon investment negotiation and investment policy promotion, upon coordinated development of national and regional economy, and upon economic and trade exchanges across the Taiwan Strait. CIFIT is currently China's only international investment promotion event aimed at facilitating bilateral investment. It's also the largest global investment event approved by UFI.

CIFIT has the following major contents: investment and trade exhibition, the International Investment Forum and serial seminars on hot investment issues, and investment project matchmaking symposia.

And UNCTAD is also broadcasting this WIF loudly in its United Nations Website , as you can see the following , we can foresee some dicision might be taken in the next few days within these strong minds meetings.

you can find more infomation in these sites for the biggest event in Xiamen of the year :
http://unctad-worldinvestmentforum.org/page/partners
http://www.unctad.org/Templates/Page.asp?intItemID=5588&lang=1
http://www.chinafair.org.cn/english/index/index.aspx

Some of the greatest minds and movers in the field of investment will assemble at UNCTAD's World Investment Forum 2010 to discuss how to promote sustainable investment and development in the new phase of globalization and take advantage of opportunities that could arise across the globe.

More than 1,000 people from 90 countries are expected to attend UNCTAD's World Investment Forum 2010 (WIF 2010) in Xiamen, China, from 6-9 September 2010, including investors and representatives of governments, businesses, international organizations, investment promotion agencies, and civil society. Among the participants will be 11 Heads of State, 53 ministers and ministerial-level officials, 200 senior business executives, 46 senior academic experts, 20 senior representatives of international organizations, and numerous chiefs of national investment promotion agencies.
The World Investment Forum is a biennial event.
Highlights of the 2010 conference include:

World Leaders Investment Summit: Political leaders and CEOs of the world's largest transnational corporations will discuss the new international investment landscape in the post-crisis era. They will identify policy options for maximizing the developmental benefits of foreign investment and for taking advantage of new opportunities as the world emerges from recession.
Ministerial Round Table: Ministers in charge of investment policies from leading investment source and recipient countries, as well as heads of international organizations, will address such issues as balancing investment liberalization and regulation and enhancing coherence between national and international investment policies.
High-level Tripartite Conference: CEOs and chief strategists of global corporations, senior government officials, and heads of investment promotion agencies will join leading experts in identifying key issues affecting FDI and in discussing the impacts of investment on sustainable development. Main topics will include world investment prospects, finding new strategies for investment promotion, and promoting green investment.
The 2010 International Investment Agreements Conference will bring together policymakers, negotiators, and investors to discuss challenges facing the international investment agreement (IIA) regime. These include policies for generating tangible development benefits in the post-crisis investment landscape; the interaction of the IIA regime with key public policies (such as climate change); and the systemic evolution of the IIA regime and the investor-State dispute settlement system.
At the Sustainable Stock Exchanges Conference 2010, CEOs of stock exchanges, large institutional investors and issuers, and senior securities regulators will examine how stock exchanges can promote sustainable business practices and responsible capital markets.
A special conference on Promoting Responsible Sovereign Lending and Borrowing will provide an occasion for senior government officials, central bank governors, and high-level representatives of international organizations to discuss the promotion of responsible lending and borrowing.
During the 8th Meeting of the UNCTAD-International Chamber of Commerce (ICC) Investment Advisory Council, Heads of State, government ministers, executives of global companies, and heads of international institutions will debate practical means for addressing obstacles to achieving the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) through investment.
Investment Showcase events will include "investment climate" presentations by government ministers from Cambodia, Jordan, Lao People's Democratic Republic, Namibia, Viet Nam, and Zambia to investors. There also will be presentations on the investment guide programmes of UNCTAD and the China Investment Promotion Agency (CIPA).
Other events include the launching of the G15 of Law Schools network, which is dedicated to promoting academic exchanges on international investment law, and the UNCTAD Investment Promotion Award 2010.

Global Fun Carnival opens up in Xiamen

2010-09-01T19:15:00.001+08:00

Magic Haijing, Xiamen Hotels First Blog Present:

Though Global Fun Carnival had already boarded Xiamen in July ,2010, some facilites were not established then, you could read some bad comments on it through the website.

But on 27th August, a promotion fair for the "Global Fun Carnival – Xiamen Stop" was held at the main venue of the Global Fun Carnival Xiamen Stop.

Hundreds of travel agency leaders and tourist guide representatives from Xiamen and the surrounding cities were participating in the fair.

Mr. Yang Fanggen, the deputy director of Xiamen Tourism Bureau said at the fair that the Global Fun Carnival was a big event in Xiamen, which combines the characteristics of Xiamen's tourism culture, and it would bring a euro-style experience to the local residents.

After the introduction and consultation by the Global Fun Carnival's professional staff, the participants experienced the Global Fun Carnival, and some of them signed cooperation with the Global Fun Carnival on the spot.

The Global Fun Carnival is one of the world's top 3 recreation brands. It opened early this July in Xiamen, and will stay in Xiamen for 3 months until 10th October.

The Global Fun Carnival in Xiamen is located in Huanwan Road, Huli District, opposite the Wuyuan Bay Shopping Mall. You can take public buses and get off at Mucuo Bus Stop (穆厝), it's about 5 minutes to get to the Global Fun Carnival from the Mucuo Bus Stop. The bus line of BRT1, BRT2, 13, L16 and 82 can take you to the bus stop.

Global Fun Carnival

Opening hours: 09:00-23:00 (weekends), 14:00-23:00 (weekdays)
Ticket hotline: 40088-56356

Pricing：

1. Admin fee ： 30rmb（include 4 coins）

2.All-in-1 ticket ： 160rmb（ no limit use of all the 12 recreation facilities）

3. Circus ticket： 90rmb

4.Circus VIP: 388RMB

5. All-in-1 + circus ticket 190rmb （ no limit use of all the 12

recreation facilities）

6. Kid's Special : 90rmb (5 kid's recreationfacilites+ circus )

resources:

http://www.whatsonxiamen.com/news14280.html

http://www.rcstu.com/html/news/fjxw/2010/0730/8283.html

Nanyin ， the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Xiamen and Quanzhou

2010-08-27T18:28:00.002+08:00

Magic Haijing, Xiamen Hotels First Blog Present:

Nanyin

the Intangible Cultural Heritage of the world

living fossil of ancient Chinese music

In Xiamen and Quanzhou, Nanyin Music has close ties with ancient imperial music,Buddhist music, poetic rhythm, and drama tune. For hundreds of years it has been handed down by oral instruction and spread from Quanzhou to other parts of Fujian,Taiwan Province, and among overseas Chinese in Southeast Asia and Europe.

Also known as "string and pipe music" or "Quanzhou nanyin music", nanyin music is one of the oldest existing music genres of China. In the Western and Eastern Han Dynasties, and the Jin, Tang and the Northern and Southern Dynasties, immigrants from the central plains brought their music culture with them to Quanzhou-oriented Minnan area. Their music fused with local folk music, becoming a new genre with the charm of ancient music of the central plains.
Nanyin music is a combination of various musical elements, including the essence of yayue music of the central plains popular since the flourishing period of the Tang Dynasty, the good qualities of Yuan songs, Yiyang Opera and Kun Opera, and the folk music of Minnan. As such, nanyin music is a beautiful genre that is soft and smooth in both lyrics and melodies. It is perfect for expressing heartfelt feelings of homesickness and yearning sentiment of a person traveling far away from home.

The main instrument used in nanyin music is the vertical bamboo flute, also known as "end blown flute", which measures 0.6m in length and has ten holes and nine sections. The flute, following the Tang Dynasty tone system, sounds deep and rich. Another instrument accompanying nanyin tunes is the pipa (the southern pipa), which is held horizontally when playing, unlike the vertically- held northern pipa. The southern pipa is quite similar to those held by the music-playing flying fairies of Kaiyuan Temple in Quanzhou and by the flying goddess in Dunhuang murals. The erxian (or two-string fiddle) used in nanyin music is pretty much like the xiqin (a bowed string instrument) of the Wei and Jin Dynasties, and the clappers are the same as the jie clappers of pre-Tang period. Nanyin music tunes are sung in Minnan dialect retaining lots of ancient words and melodies of the central plains.

Nanyin music of Quanzhou is a complete music system made up of three parts—dapu (scores), sanqu (individual tunes) and zhitao (suites involving fingering). The three parts are commonly known as "zhi, pu, and qu". Zhitao refers to relatively complete suites containing lyrics, scores and fingering (pipa fingering), with each suite including two to seven individual tunes. There are 50 suites in all and the most famous suites are entitled Coming Naturally, A Love Letter, Enjoying Festive Lanterns, Heart-wrenching, and All for You respectively.

"Pu" or "score" refers to a titled suite for musical instruments, including pipa fingering. It has no lyrics and mainly played by the pipa, vertical bamboo flute, the erxian, and sanxian (a three-stringed plucked instrument). Each suite contains three to ten or more tune patterns. There are 16 major suites, most of which feature seasonal scenery, flowers, birds, insects, and galloping horses etc. The four most famous suites include the Scenery of Four Seasons, the Plum Flower Tune, Eight Steeds and a Hundred Birds Returning to Their Nests.

Sanqu or an individual tune, also known as "caoqu", is a tune meant for singing but not narrating. The tune, including scores and lyrics, is usually sung to the four main accompanying instruments of the pipa, vertical bamboo flute, the erxian, and sanxian. The content of these tunes are mainly in three categories—motion expressing, scenery depicting and story telling. The lyrics are mainly based on the Tang-Dynasty legends, and scripts for storytellers, as well as on opera stories of the Song, Yuan and Ming Dynasties about outstanding figures. Popular pieces include Precipitous Mountains, Going out of the Han Pass, Making an Appointment, and Yin Seeing off his Elder Brother and Sister-in-law etc.
Nanyin music of Quanzhou is a cultural form much favored by masses of people, who use it for self cultivation and enjoyment. It is closely related to Minnan people's lives. In the area, it's quite common to see families gathering together to sing nanyin tunes. The singing scenes can be found almost everywhere. Nanyin music is a best choice for enthusiasts of the genre to meet new friends and to express their feelings.

In Xiamen , Nanyin also maintained ， in Zhongshan Park near Millennium Harbourview Hotel Xiamen , the huge Xiamen Nanyin Park was constructed inside, about 2000 sqaure metres wide. Every Sunday , a free Nanyin show is given to the public as the education and maintenance of the ancient relic of Art.

Nanyin Opera, the most ancient opera back to Tang Dynasty with a history of thousands of years. A poem written by China's famous poet Li Bai of Tang danysty.

The lyric is:
君不见，黄河之水天上来，奔流到海不复回。
君不见，高堂明镜悲白发，朝如青丝暮成雪。
人生得意须尽欢，莫使金樽空对月。
天生我材必有用，千金散尽还复来。
烹羊宰牛且为乐，会须一饮三百杯。
岑夫子，丹丘生，将进酒，君莫停。
与君歌一曲，请君为我侧耳听。
钟鼓馔玉不足贵，但愿长醉不复醒。
古来圣贤皆寂寞，惟有饮者留其名。
陈王昔时宴平乐，斗酒十千恣欢谑。
主人何为言少钱，径须沽取对君酌。
五花马，千金裘，
呼儿将出换美酒，与尔同销万古愁。
Folk-song-styled-verse
Li Bai
BRINGING IN THE WINE

See how the Yellow River's waters move out of heaven.
Entering the ocean, never to return.
See how lovely locks in bright mirrors in high chambers,
Though silken-black at morning, have changed by night to snow.
...Oh, let a man of spirit venture where he pleases
And never tip his golden cup empty toward the moon!
Since heaven gave the talent, let it be employed!
Spin a thousand pieces of silver, all of them come back!
Cook a sheep, kill a cow, whet the appetite,
And make me, of three hundred bowls, one long drink!
...To the old master, Cen,
And the young scholar, Danqiu,
Bring in the wine!
Let your cups never rest!
Let me sing you a song!
Let your ears attend!
What are bell and drum, rare dishes and treasure?
Let me be forever drunk and never come to reason!
Sober men of olden days and sages are forgotten,
And only the great drinkers are famous for all time.
...Prince Chen paid at a banquet in the Palace of Perfection
Ten thousand coins for a cask of wine, with many a laugh and quip.
Why say, my host, that your money is gone?
Go and buy wine and we'll drink it together!
My flower-dappled horse,
My furs worth a thousand,
Hand them to the boy to exchange for good wine,
And we'll drown away the woes of ten thousand generations!

resources: http://www1.chinaculture.org/library/2008-01/10/content_72887.htm

http://traditions.cultural-china.com/en/17Traditions2299.html

Anything about Xiamen Hotels , the very best of Xiamen Hotels . From Magic Millennium , Magic Haijing Wanna make a hotel reservation in the Best Xiamen Hotels , Simply Millennium Harbourview Hotel Xiamen ? Make hotel reservation here!

7 things to do in Xiamen Gulangyu Island, Surfing Detailed Gulangyu Map

2010-08-25T23:08:00.002+08:00

Magic Haijing, Xiamen Hotels First Blog Present:

Here we have a detailed and comprehensive tourist map of Gulangyu Island, clearly showing the layout of the scenic area with mapping all roads, and marking the location of tourist attractions in this area vividly with beautiful pictures. This map can be a great guide for your tour of Gulangyu Island, which is located opposite to the urban Xiamen City, has won the reputation of "Garden on the Sea". Besides, there is a list of seven necessary things to do on the Island.

And here is the 7 things must do in Gulangyu Island :

1. Learning some Hokkie ( Minnan Dilect , same as Taiwan Dilect)

2.Making the Kungfu Tea with Local People

3. Finding a favorable Alley for a stroll

4.Visiting one of the Former Residences of Famous People

5. Eating the local food 'mazi'

6.Going for a concert

7.Reserve a room facing the sea , though not many left; or choose a coffee house near the sea

the map here shows you the best out of Gulangyu Island , and you can click here for biggest view: http://www.chinatouristmaps.com/travel/fujian/xiamen/expounder.html

http://www.chinatouristmaps.com/travel/fujian/xiamen/expounder.html

Anything about Xiamen Hotels , the very best of Xiamen Hotels . From Magic Millennium , Magic Haijing Wanna make a hotel reservation in the Best Xiamen Hotels , Simply Millennium Harbourview Hotel Xiamen ? Make hotel reservation here!

Qixi Festival --- Chinese Valentines' Day

2010-08-16T22:38:00.002+08:00

The meet of two lovers who can only happen once a year , a sad and beautiful story from ancient China , still influences China and Overseas Chinese nowadays .

Magic Haijing, Xiamen Hotels First Blog Present:

Qixi Festival (literally "The Night of Sevens"), also known as Magpie Festival, falls on the seventh day of the seventh lunar month on the Chinese calendar; thus its name. It is sometimes called Chinese Valentine's Day in recent decades. This year the day falls in 16th Aug,2010

In late summer, the stars Altair and Vega are high in the night sky, and the Chinese tell the following love story, of which there are many variations:
A young cowherd named Niulang, came across seven fairy sisters bathing in a lake. Encouraged by his mischievous companion the ox, he stole their clothes and waited to see what would happen. The fairy sisters elected the youngest and most beautiful sister Zhinü ( literally "[the] weaver girl", the star Vega) to retrieve their clothing. She agreed to do so, but since Niulang had seen her naked, she agreed to his request for marriage. She proved to be a wonderful wife, and Niulang to be a good husband. They lived happily and had two children. But the Goddess of Heaven (or in some versions, Zhinü's mother) found out that Zhinü, a fairy girl, had married a mere mortal. The Goddess was furious and ordered Zhinü to return to heaven. (Alternatively, the Goddess forced the fairy back to her former duty of weaving colorful clouds, a task she neglected while living on earth with a mortal.) On Earth, Niulang was very upset that his wife had disappeared. Suddenly, his ox began to talk, telling him that if he killed it and put on its hide, he would be able to go up to Heaven to find his wife. Crying bitterly, he killed the ox, put on the skin, and carried his two beloved children off to Heaven to find Zhinü. The Goddess discovered this and was very angry. Taking out her hairpin, the Goddess scratched a wide river in the sky to separate the two lovers forever, thus forming the Milky Way between Altair and Vega.

Zhinü must sit forever on one side of the river, sadly weaving on her loom, while Niulang watches her from afar and takes care of their two children (his flanking stars β and γ Aquilae or by their Chinese names Hè Gu 1 and Hè Gu 3).

But once a year all the magpies in the world would take pity on them and fly up into heaven to form a bridge ( "the bridge of magpies", Que Qiao) over the star Deneb in the Cygnus constellation so the lovers may be together for a single night, which is the seventh night of the seventh moon.

However, there were more other practices all over China, as the festival varied from region to region.

In Fujian, girls also held weaving and needlework competitions to see who had the best hands and the brightest mind, both prerequisites for making a good wife and mother in ancient China.

Young women in Fujian used to weave small handicrafts with colored paper, grass and thread.

Afterwards, they competed to pass a thread through the eyes of seven needles in a single breath.

In Xiamen, the belief is that if it rains on the day, older people might say that Zhinu is crying on the day she meets Niulang and her family again. This is why the Qixi day is usually wet.

Also in the evening, families sit outdoors to observe the stars.

The Xiamen grannies would say that, if you stand under a grapevine, you can probably overhear Zhi Nu and Niu Lang talking.

In some Southern part of China, young women offered fruit and pastries to pray for a bright mind. If spiders were seen to weave webs on sacrificial objects, it was believed the Waving Girl was offering positive feedback.

In other regions, seven close friends would gather to make dumplings. They put into three separate dumplings a needle, a copper coin and a red date, which represented perfect needlework skills, good fortune and an early marriage.

Nowadays, however, through changing time, these ancient customs are being adjusted and altered. More and more young people celebrate Qixi in the same way that Valentine's Day is celebrated in western countries. Hotels, restaurants and flower shops capitalize on this by offering special sales on "Chinese Valentine's Day."

On this special day, there are many entertainment venues in Xiamen that cater for this special occassion for singles who are seeking for romance, married couples who are seeking for further bonding, families with small kids who want to share family union.

resources:
http://www.whatsonxiamen.com/news3802.html
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Qixi_Festival
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Altair
Stay with the best , only the best , Millennium Harbourview Hotel Xiamen .

Anything about Xiamen Hotels , the very best of Xiamen Hotels . From Magic Millennium , Magic Haijing Wanna make a hotel reservation in the Best Xiamen Hotels , Simply Millennium Harbourview Hotel Xiamen ? Make hotel reservation here!

A Hotel Executive On How To Get Good Service

2010-08-13T18:23:00.001+08:00

I totally agree on the points this article from 'Wall Street Journal' gives for travellers staying in hotels , a good connection with hotel at the beggining makes you easier to deal anything in the future . To stay happier , to stay smarter ... Magic Haijing, Xiamen Hotels First Blog Present:

Paul James, global brand leader at St. Regis Hotels and Resorts, estimates that he spends no less than 150 nights a year in hotel rooms. His experience goes well beyond his own company's brand; he often checks out the competition by staying at other hotels.

Over time, Mr. James has developed anumber of tricks to make sure his hotel stays are comfortable. For instance, after booking a room online, he immediately follows up with a phone call to the hotel's concierge. His aim: to request a room that will suit him.
'Unless you're at an airport hotel, you'll find that there are a vast number of shapes and designs of rooms within the raft of standard or deluxe rooms,' he says. Sometimes he wants to ensure there's a large work table; occasionally, he wants extra room with a crib for his son. And because he's over six feet tall, he always makes sure to ask for a king-sized bed.

'It never hurts to ask' if you have a special need in mind while checking in, whether it's a specific view, a larger sofa, a mini refrigerator (not all hotels provide them), or a room on the executive floor -- 'even if it's just a bowl of fruit,' Mr. James says. 'It's surprising how much a hotel generally can do and can provide for you once you get there,' he says.

One key to getting what you want is making a convincing argument for it. 'It's those people who tend to have a good reason who get what they want -- whether it's getting a larger room because you're going to be meeting some people in your room or you're celebrating a birthday or an anniversary,' he says.

When Mr. James is checking into a hotel, he always makes sure he's nicely dressed. Typically he'll show up in a suit or slacks and a jacket. 'If you look the part, you'll tend to get looked after a little bit better,' he says. But he notes that some guests can look like they 'just walked off the tennis court' and still get five-star treatment if they 'talk and communicate' well. It helps if a guest 'engages with the person that they're talking to as a human being, being pleasant and engaging and not overly demanding or difficult or obtuse or overly distracted,' he explains.

He doesn't usually request an upgrade unless something is very wrong with the room, noting that members of good loyalty programs can get regular upgrades without having to ask.

Throughout his stay, Mr. James goes out of his way to be nice to the concierge. 'That's rule No. 1,' he says, noting that he'll often stop at the concierge desk to thank the staff after a recommendation has paid off.
Such positive reinforcement typically results in the concierge staff offering better service and sightseeing advice over the course of a trip, he says. 'If you reward them with a, 'That was great -- more like that, please,' it could help open up a whole raft of new access points to the city,' he says. Your feedback will also give them more clues to what you're looking for.

If the concierge has performed a significant task for you, it's nice to tip him or her that day, he says, but tipping at the end of the stay is perfectly acceptable, too.

When Mr. James is staying in a U.S. hotel, he generally tips the concierge $10 to $20 a day, depending on how much he has used the service. Bellhops who carry his luggage get $2 to $5, and he always leaves $2 to $4 a day in an envelope for housekeeping.

Mr. James leaves the total tip for housekeeping in the room just before he checks out, rather than leaving it out as a daily amount. At the end, he says, 'you just have a better idea of how you've been looked after.'

Anything about Xiamen Hotels , the very best of Xiamen Hotels . From Magic Millennium , Magic Haijing Wanna make a hotel reservation in the Best Xiamen Hotels , Simply Millennium Harbourview Hotel Xiamen ? Make hotel reservation here!

In London, the World's New 'Most Expensive' Home?

2010-08-13T18:21:00.001+08:00

Never instrested in such things but it really looks big , Wall Street Journal gives out the most expensive house in the world , so we watch , Magic Haijing, Xiamen Hotels First Blog Present:

It looks like Candy Spelling has been one-upped. A six-bedroom penthouse at London's tony One Hyde Park commanded £140 million, or about $220 million, Luxist reports. And this deal comes before the four-building project is even complete: It is due to be finished by the end of the year.

According to Luxist, that makes it world's priciest piece of residential real estate-when measuring current listings and sales-pushing Ms. Spelling's $150 million asking price for her bigger-than-big Los Angeles mansion down a slot. The deal also makes the U.S. look, well, like a bargain: In what is believed to be the biggest residential sale, a Texas executive paid $46.5 million for a 3,500-acre Colorado ranch earlier this year.

The London address might not have a gift-wrapping room, but it has bullet-proof windows, a panic room and to-die-for views. According to the Telegraph, it also has access to around-the-clock room service from the neighboring Mandarin Oriental hotel. (We doubt you'll find that on any ranch.)

The London buyer's identity remains a mystery, but rumors are focused the Middle East and Nigeria, which are benefiting from increased oil prices.

The project was developed by London's 'Candy Brothers,' Nicholas and Christian Candy, whose property development business, CPC Group Ltd., has helped change London's landscape with towers of glass and modern blocks. Another apartment at One Hyde Park sold for about $148 million in 2008.

Anything about Xiamen Hotels , the very best of Xiamen Hotels . From Magic Millennium , Magic Haijing Wanna make a hotel reservation in the Best Xiamen Hotels , Simply Millennium Harbourview Hotel Xiamen ? Make hotel reservation here!

Xiamen Philharmonic Ochestra Updates Chinese Valentines Day Concert

2010-08-11T23:07:00.006+08:00

Magic Haijing, Xiamen Hotels First Blog Present:

Xiamen Philharmonic Ochestra updated its August's hit concert , the Chinese Valentine's day concert . 19:30:00pm 16August . All you have to do is to buy the ticket and listen to the first counter tenor in China , Xiao Ma.

Here is a clip from Xiao Ma's performance in Mozart's Le Nozze di Figaro (the Marriage of Figaro) ,he palyed as Cherubino in a modern version

Chinese Valentine’s Day Concert

Date： 2010-08-15

Time: 16:00pm

Location： Concert Hall of Xiamen International Conference Hall Conductor： Fu Renchang

Performance： Xiamen Philharmonic Orchestra

Counter Tenor：Xiao Ma

Tenor: Gao Chuan

Program:

"West Side Story "
Ballet SuiteS "Romeo and Juliet"

'Voi che sapete che cosa e amor?' from "Le Nozze di Figaro" --- Xiao Ma

' Una furtiva lagrima' from " L'elisir D'amore" --- Xiao Ma

A Place Far Far Away --- Gao Chuan

' Nessun Dorma!' from "Turandot" --- Gao Chuan

"Porgy & Bess" Suites

'Night outside Moscow' --- Gao Chuan

'Come Back Sorrento' --- Gao Chuan

' all I ask of you' from " The Phantom of the Opera"

'Rain Never Come' --- Xiao Ma

‘DayDream' ---- Xiao Ma

China's hotel star ranking system under increased scrutiny

2010-07-29T17:37:00.002+08:00

Magic Haijing, Xiamen Hotels First Blog Present:

Xiamen is becoming more and more international , I just heard Star Bucks is opeing two stores in Xiamen soon. More international hotel brands are not strange to people in Xiamen . And here is one article from China Daily talking about China's hotel status , interesting :

BEIJING, July 27 (Xinhuanet) -- China is planning to accelerate a mechanism with which to strip poorly run hotels of their star rankings in order to protect the image of all the 15,000 star-rated hotels across the country, a top tourism official said on Monday.

Anonymous customers' opinions will be considered for the first time along with those of industry experts when evaluating a star-rated hotel's qualification, said Du Jiang, deputy head of the National Tourism Administration of China.

Hotels already endowed with a star status will be subject to quality checkups every three years, instead of the current five year period aimed at identifying problems and fixing them, he said.

The news came days after the announcement that the Hilton Chongqing was to be stripped of its five-star status for reportedly permitting a venue for prostitution to operate on its premises.

The announcement, posted on the administration's website last Friday, said the hotel's actions have "seriously damaged the image of China's star-rated hotels and generated a bad influence".

Dai Bin, deputy head of the China Tourism Academy, told China Daily the incident has partly pushed the administration to strengthen its management of star-rated hotels.

Even more importantly, he added, a means of expelling poorly run hotels from the internationally recognized star classification system has become critical at a time when the number of China's 15,000 star-rated hotels is growing faster than ever before.

In 2009 alone, for instance, the administration gave a five-star status to 63 hotels across the country, pushing the total number of top-level stars up to 432, according to China's tourism development analysis and forecast 2010, a report compiled by the Tourism Research Center at the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences.
"Many new star-rated hotels are competing in terms of advanced hardware and the level of luxury", he said "Through this mechanism, the administration hopes to make them realize the importance of good service and how to better serve customers."

Zhao Huanyan, of the Hotel Solution Consulting Ltd in Shanghai, echoed these thoughts, saying that the pursuit of quality lodging based on the standards of China's hotel star-rating system has led to disappointment among some foreigner visitors.

"They found that China's high-ranking hotels look almost identical - from the lobby to the standard room," he said.

The latest move by the tourism authority, he added, should offer fresh ideas for hotel owners, pushing them to improve service while using innovative techniques.
The hospitality industry is one of China's first few industries that opened up to foreign investment and management concepts.

Since 1982, when the Jianguo Hotel Beijing became the first hotel to introduce international hotel management on the mainland, the world's top 10 hotel groups have entered the Chinese market.

The groups now manage 480 hotels nationwide, Xinhua News Agency reported on Monday.

(Source: China Daily)

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Classic Music in Xiamen , Bit More Added to Xiamen Philharmonic Orchestra , August

2010-07-28T11:40:00.000+08:00

Magic Haijing, Xiamen Hotels First Blog Present:

Almost forget to tell you that there are free concert tickets this month end till beggining of August ,

Got the news from Whatsonxiamen.com , The 5th Gulangyu Piano Festival & National Youth Piano Competition kicked off 26th July to 4th August.

9 concerts will be held during the piano festival. According to the organizing committee, they will give out 660 free tickets to the public.

The 9 concerts are:

1. Concert by Young Musicians born in the 80s from Gulangyu Island: 19:30, 24th July, 2010
2. Opening concert of 5th Gulangyu Piano Festival: 19:30, 26th July 22, 2010
3. Joseph Banowetz Piano Recital: 19:30, 27th July 22, 2010
4. David D’or Vocal Concert: 19:30, 28th July 22, 2010
5. Piano Concert by Zhou leping and Zhou Leting: 19:30, 29th July, 2010
6. Gala Concert of the 2nd National Youth Piano Competition Amateur Group: 14:30, 30th July, 2010
7. Final of National Youth Piano Competition Professional Group 1: 19:30, 2nd August, 2010
8. Final of National Youth Piano Competition Professional Group 2: 19:30, 3rd August, 2010
9. Gala Concert of the 2nd National Youth Piano Competition Professional Group: 14:30, 4th July, 2010

The public can get the tickets at Gulangyu Music Hall from 9:00-11:00 & 15:00-17:00 on 23rd July, ticket booking hotline is: 0592-2065466, 2571090, every one can get 2 tickets.

For August , in Xiamen there will be one more exciting concert to attend , that is the Chinese Valentine's Day Concert , August 15 .

It was such a beautiful story about two lovers who has only a chance to meet each other on 7th of July of Lunar Calendar as a punishment to against lord of earth. The day happens to fall on 16th Aug this year and the concert is on 15th of Aug. There are so many wonderful lover's solos here , the most important , is Xiao Ma, the first countertenor of China. He is someone many of you may know him from his popular video clips on the internet, in particularly, the piece he palyed as Cherubino in a modern version of Mozart's Le Nozze di Figaro (the Marriage of Figaro). 'He is the national treasure of China,' commented The Chicago Tribune.

The concert covers both classic Opera solos and Chinese Lovers’ songs , Can't miss it!
'Double 7' Chinese Valentine's Day Concert
Date：    2010-08-15
Location：      Concert Hall of Xiamen International Conference Hall
Conductor：     Fu Renchang
Performance：     Xiamen Philharmonic Orchestra
Falsetto Tenor：Xiao Ma
Tenor:          Gao Chuan
selections : 'West City Story' ,' Romeo and Juliet', < Voi che sapete che cosa e amor? > from 'Le Nozze di Figaro', < Una furtiva lagrima > from 'L'elisir D'amore', < Nessun Dorma! > from 'Turandot' and many more
Resoruse:    http://www.whatsonxiamen.com/event1602.html
http://www.xmxpo.cn/

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The First Armani Hotel , Part of the World's Highest Skyscraper

2010-07-20T22:19:00.001+08:00

Magic Haijing, Xiamen Hotels First Blog Present:

Back in the good old days, it was enough for a billionaire designer at the top of his or her game to own a super-yacht, a private island, a Manhattan penthouse, a Tuscan villa and a chalet in Gstaad.

Not any more. To truly be a 21st century, global lifestyle superstar you need to own a hotel, as well.

-----Hilary Alexander, Fashion Director of telegraph.co.uk said so

Here is the first Armani Hotel in the world , located in Burj Khalifa , tallest skycrapper

The Arabic meaning for the word Burj is 'tower', which is why the Burj Khalifa is also known as the 'Tower of Dubai'. The Burj Khalifa was built at an estimated cost of $1.5bn.

The first Armani brand hotel opened on 27 April 2010 as part of the Burj Khalifa, and includes 160 guestrooms and suites, eight restaurants, retail outlets and a spa, covering more than 40,000m².

Alongside the hotel, the Burj Khalifa also offers 144 luxury residential apartments located on floors 9 to 16. All residences were designed by Giorgio Armani and are fully furnished with a specially designed line of products from the Armani Casa home furnishings collection.

Armani Hotels & Resorts occupy all levels up to the 8th floor and levels 38 and 39 of Burj Khalifa, which provide spectacular views of the city. They also feature conference and banqueting amenities in a 30,000ft² area

The hotel has 144 luxurious rooms, starting from $1,093 per night.

In addition to the guest rooms, the Armani Hotel is equipped with its own cafés, restaurants and a patisserie, all crafted under the designer.

Giorgio Armani oversaw all aspects of content, design and style, including interiors and amenities, incorporating Armani fashion, furnishings and beauty collections.

resource: http://en.rian.ru/photolents/20100502/158815303_3.html
http://yoka.com

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The Marina Bay Sands, New Giant of Hotel World 2010

2010-07-15T17:25:00.004+08:00

People talk about the hotels, from here , Xiamen to the world , the most luxury ones , Burj Al Arab , the Emirates Palace Hotel and etc. What happened in 2010 , the new giant of the hotel world , the Marina Bay Sands ? From mouth to mouth , it is the hottest one of our time , now.

Marina Bay Sands is an integrated resort fronting Marina Bay in Singapore. Developed by Las Vegas Sands, it is billed as the world's most expensive standalone casino property at S$8 billion (US$5.7 billion), including cost of the prime land.

It features a 2,560-room hotel, a 120,000 sq.m. convention-exhibition center, The Shoppes mall, an Art & Science museum, two Sands Theatres, six "celebrity chef" restaurants, two floating pavilions, a casino with 500 tables and 1,600 slot machines. The complex is topped by a 340m-long SkyPark with a capacity of 3,900 people and a 150m infinity swimming pool, set on top of the world's largest public cantilevered platform, which overhangs the north tower by 67m.

The Marina Bay Sands (MBS) integrated resort celebrated its opening on 23Jun,2010 with a lavish bash, but not before its owner made an even more glittering prediction: Just as the resort's towers have transformed the skyline, the IR will 'forever change' Singapore's image and give the country's tourism industry a major fillip.

Casino magnate Sheldon Adelson called the US$5.7 billion (S$7.92 billion) facility a game-changer for tourism here, and added that after all is said and done, he expects between 125,000 and 150,000 people to visit it each day, a record for parent company Las Vegas Sands' (LVS) properties worldwide.

Don't look down: A guest swims in the infinity pool of the Skypark that tops the Marina Bay Sands hotel towers - 55 storeys over the city of Singapore

To infinity... and beyond! The pool stretches 150 metres, three times the length of an Olympic swimming pool

The view over the side: An artist's impression shows the Skypark that tops the Marina Bay Sands hotel towers, including the infinity pool

The Emirates Palace Hotel in Abu Dhabi, estimated to have cost £2billion when it opened in 2004, was previously the world's most expensive hotel.
But with its indoor canal, opulent art, casino, outdoor plaza, convention centre, theatre, crystal pavilion and museum shaped like a lotus flower, the Marina Bay Sands has taken its crown.

The resort from across the bay. The three towers were based on a deck of cards, according to designer Moshe Safdie

A skydiver parachutes pass the Singapore Flyer and Marina Bay Sands casino resort as part of the venue's opening celebrations

relay teams scale one of the towers in a race commemorating the opening

a newly-wed couple enjoy a canal ride inside the resort's shopping centre

a man looks through a steel web art structure in one of the towers

the entrance to the casino, which costs nearly £50 to get in and is attracting 25,000 visitors each day

Models pose in the pool for journalists at the grand opening

Finally , shall we take a look at Singapore from the Skypark of teh new giant of hotel world , the Marina Bay Sands ?

resourse:

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/worldnews/article-1289194/Marina-Bay-Sands-resort-opens-Singapore.html
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:1_sands_sky_park_sunset_rainbow.jpg
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marina_Bay_Sands

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Grand Millennium Beijing Hotel receives 5-Star Rating

2010-07-15T17:19:00.001+08:00

Millennium & Copthorne Hotels plc (M&C) added another star to its premiere ‘Grand Millennium’ brand today, with the official 5-star accreditation of the Grand Millennium Beijing. The accreditation not only cements the hotel' s promise of world class accommodation to guests, but also reinforces M&C’s standing at the forefront of the Chinese hospitality industry.

The Grand Millennium Beijing received the rating after a stringent 10-month audit by National Star Rating committee, the official accrediting body for hotels in China. The process involved a detailed look at every aspect of the hotel’s operations – from customer service to management, from F&B to the quality of sheets used in guestrooms.
Over 300 people attended the ceremony, where the a plaque bearing the hotel’s rating was unveiled by M&C Country Head, Mr Lawrence Yip, and Grand Millennium Beijing General Manager, Mr Leon J. Lee.

Since the hotel’s opening in April 2008, Grand Millennium Beijing has been making waves, bagging 14 major hospitality awards in its short history (Annexe) – no mean feat in an industry with some 100 business hotels in the Chinese capital alone.

“Together with the awards, the new five-star rating puts The Grand Millennium Beijing at the top of its game. We will continue to build on our excellence and set new benchmarks within the China hospitality industry”, said Mr Charles Lai, Vice-President Sales & Marketing, Greater China Region M&C.

“Many hotels also hold quasi-star ratings, meaning that guests may not be assured of the quality of service and comfort they are paying for,” he added. “With the accreditation, our guests are guaranteed top-notch service during each and every stay.”

Grand Millennium Beijing is the Group’s flagship hotel, catering to business and leisure travellers seeking the epitome of style, culture, art and comfort. M&C is currently the largest Singapore-owned hotelier in China, with six hotels representing some 2,300 rooms in major cities including Beijing, Shanghai and Chengdu. Among them are new additions, the 343-room Millennium Chengdu and 306-room Millennium Wuxi, which opened in 2009.

Boasting 521 guestrooms, the hotel is perfectly located in the new central business district (CBD). Rooms are generously sized, at a minimum of 45 sq m each and come equipped with spacious “ extended bathrooms” featuring floor to ceiling glass panels. Other attractions of the hotel are its 1000 sq m “pillar-less” ballroom and 10 meeting rooms which are equipped with state-of-the-art facilities, making then ideal venues for meetings, conferences, special events and wedding banquets. The hotel also provides guests with a luxurious Spa MTM and personal wellness centre, and an award winning Oxygen Club with professional gymnasium facilities, aerobic room, sauna, steam rooms and a 25 metre indoor lap pool, a plunge pool and an oversized whirlpool.

Over the past two years, the hotel has also become the de facto ‘home-base’ for Singaporeans in the city. In 2009, the Singapore hosted its National Day celebrations at the hotel where over 300 Singaporeans participated in festivities.
“We would like to take this opportunity to thank our guests and partners who have shown us tremendous support over the past two years,” said Grand Millennium Beijing General Manager, Mr Leon J. Lee. “We are definitely not going to rest on our laurels and will continue to strive towards achieving greater excellence.”

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Swire Coca Cola JJ Texas Golf Scramble 2010 Xiamen Highlights

2010-07-01T10:16:00.001+08:00

Magichaijng Xiamen Hotels first blog presents

Never to say anything more , would rather let all these pictuers tell you the 2nd Swire Coca Cola JJ Texas Golf Scramble 2010 Xiamen Highlights. Last Saturday , ( 26Jun,2010) , a non-stop Golf fun plus night party in JJ bar in Xiamen wrote down all the fun and laughters you can have in your life.