Shaanxi
Yulin Aston
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Yulin Aston opened in 2006 and started off small. The student number exploded to over 700 in just a few short years. It is unanimously recognised as the forerunner in Yulin’s English training market. There are 12 classrooms over three floors. Our apartments are spacious, clean and new - and located a mere 10-minute walk from the school. All necessities are provided including western toilets.
Ankang Aston
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Ankang is a peaceful and more traditional city in Central China. Nestled in the mountains in southeastern Shaanxi Province and about 5 hours from Xi’an Ankang is a city with an area of 23,391 square kilometers. Dabashan is to the south, the Qinling Mountains to the north and from the west to east are the Han River and the Shaanxi Provincial Waters, the most abundant geothermal resources in the region. The average annual temperature is 12-15.7 degrees, the average rainfall is 750—1200 ml, and the average sunshine hours are from 14:40 to 18:40. Ankang is one of the few cities with little pollution in China. Ankang is one of the important Chinese birthplaces. It has a long history, rife with simple folk customs and beautiful scenery. Scenic spots of interest include Yinghu Lake, Palace Hill, Xiangxi hole, 1000 Jiaping, the three doors, and a number of Qinba Han River landscapes. With the city government's focus on development, Ankang has grown to include supermarkets, malls, and the large Hanshui River-style leisure tourism resort.
Yan'an Aston
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Yan’an, a beautiful mountain city, located in the northern part of Shaanxi Province, about 300 km from the ancient city of Xi’an.
In China’s political , economic and cultural life , Yan’an holds a very important position . It is viewed as a symbol of the Chinese revolution and thus owns the title of “ Red City ”. Also the earlist of ancient Chinese civilization was born here .
Hanzhong Aston
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Hanzhong is located in the Southwest of Shaanxi Province. This is a very mountainous region comprising the borderlands between Sichuan and the plateau and basins of Northern China. The city is 500 meters above sea level and is situated alongside the Han River.
Hanzhong’s mountainous topography generates a very complex climate. There are 4 distinct seasons. Summers are warm with abundant rain and thunderstorms. Winter temperatures dip below freezing and there is occasional snow, although the season is generally dry. Spring and autumn are very pleasant with mild temperatures and little rain.
Xingping Aston
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Xingping is a small town located about 50km west of Xi’an and 25km south from Xianyang with a population of around 120,000. This is a small city with a rural feel and relaxed pace of life on the outskirts of Xi’an.
The summers are hot and the winter can drop to about minus 7 degrees with about one weeks snow cover in the deep winter. Spring and especially fall are beautiful times with beautiful weather lasting well into November. These are lovely times to wander through the surrounding farmlands and pastures, and relax outdoors in the peace and quiet. You can expect to be met with curiosity and a friendly smile from the local people in all seasons.
Xianyang Aston
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Xianyang is located twenty kilometers west of Xi’an in Shaanxi Province, along the northern bank of the Wei River. This is the original ancient capital city of China and its history dates back well over 2,500 years. It is here that Qin Shihuang, after unifying the various warring kingdoms of the Eastern Asian continent into a single political entity, established one of the world’s first great political and cultural capitals.
The modern city embraces it’s glorious past as it moves into the modern age. Xianyang today is a modest sized Chinese city of about 1 million people. The population consists mainly of Han Chinese, Hui, Mongol, and Xinjiang peoples, and there is a definite Islamic presence in the local culture and food. In many ways it is a typical balance of modern downtown and faded tenement areas found in many cities of its size throughout the nation.
Xi'an Aston
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Xi’an, the capital of Shaanxi Province, was called Chang'an in ancient times. It is situated in the central part of Weihe Plain. The city is bounded by the Weihe River in the north and the massive Qinling Mountain Range in the south. As one of China's seven ancient national capitals, it served as the capital for 12 dynasties spanning more than 1,000 years. Xi'an, therefore, has a great number of precious relics and historical sites.
The main tourist attractions include The Terracotta Warriors, Great Wild Goose Pagoda, Small Wild Goose Pagoda, Huaqing Pool, Banpo Site, Stele Forest, Great Mosque, Qianling Mausoleum, Famen Temple, and the Maoling Mausoleum. Xi'an was the starting point of the old Silk Road that extended from Asia to Europe and played an important role in cultural interflow between the East and West in ancient times.
Weinan Aston
Watch VideoWeinan is located in Shaanxi Province, just east of the provincial capital of Xi'an. The city is small by Chinese standards having a population of only about 300,000 people. Being an historical city, Weinan shares its origins with the origin of the Chinese nation. The city has produced some very noticeable figures such as Cang Ji, who is responsible for development of Chinese writing, and Du Kang, who is credited for creating distilled liquor in China. The city and surrounding area are largely agricultural in nature; however, the city itself is developing rapidly.
The city is surrounded by lush areas of lakes and mountains. There are areas for fishing and hiking only 10 minutes away by taxi from the school and teachers’ apartments. Less than an hour away to the east is the famed Hua Shan Mountain Range. Hua Shan is the westernmost of China's 5 Sacred Daoist Mountains, and is well-known for its breath taking views, dangerously steep steps, and ancient mountain temples. To the east Xi'an is also about an hour away, and is the main center for travelers and activity in the region. The Terracotta Warriors and Tomb Qin Shi Huang lie just outside of town about halfway towards Xi’an.
Yanliang Aston
Yanliang is located just to the north of the
ancient capital city of Xi’an in Shaanxi Province and is technically a part of that city. It is a small town of 200,000 people and one of the most pleasant communities of the greater Xi’an region.
The town experiences a climate similar to Xi’an without the accompanying smog and pollution. Summers are warm and wet with occasional thunderstorms. Winters can get chilly with little snow. Spring and autumn are long, sunny and dry.
Life here has a simple rhythm and provides fascinating insight into the small town experiences of modern Chinese. Four times a day the wide, tree lined streets teem with thousands of bicycles as people travel to and from work or school - a wonderful sight often lost in the big and growing Chinese cities. At these times the streets are flooded with children, parents, hawkers, street food venders, and the elderly.
Tongchuan Aston
Watch VideoTongchuan is a small city in the northern part of Shaanxi Province 180 km north of the ancient capital of Xi’an. Shaanxi tradition is strong here and life moves at a slow pace which is much more in rhythm with the countryside than modern cities.
This is a place that is for the most part untouched by foreign influence. There are no Western restaurants or familiar chain stores. Life in Tongchuan allows Aston teachers an opportunity to experience life on the fringes of China’s vast countryside and a rare chance to live among these wonderful people. Before Aston opened in this unlikely of places most of the locals had never seen a foreign face. Looks of astonishment quickly turn into warm receptions as the days pass on in Tongchuan, and many an evening is spent with the local families as guests in their homes.
Baoji Aston
Nestled in a mountain valley about 180 km west of Xian, the city of Baoji is a major metropolitan area in Western China. Due to its geographic location controlling a major pass in the Qinling Mountain Range, it has a long history as a trading and garrison centre. Baoji is the second biggest city in Shaanxi after Xi’an and a social and cultural hub of the region.
Today Baoji is a remarkably clean and pleasant city with a population of 3.5 million people, with a highly modern industrialized economy based on trading, agriculture, and tourism. Since 1996, the Chinese government has been relocating businesses and industries to Baoji, which has resulted in an economic renaissance for the region especially with regard to burgeoning foreign trade. Agriculture also contributes significantly to the local economy. Owing to the location of the city in Western Shaanxi province, Baoji is an important center for transportation and communication with the whole of Western China.
Teaching in China
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