Shanxi in the Eyes of Foreigners: Looking at the roofs

Photo taken by Luiz Gomez. For chinadaily.com.cn

From my eyes

A foreigner traveling in China sees many wonderful things, and first among them are the beautiful buildings. Traditional Chinese architecture, familiar from photographs and films, is remarkable to see in person. When we look at these ancient buildings our eyes are drawn to their distinctive roofs more than to any other part. The roofs are an invention as old as Chinese civilization itself — ingenious, imaginative, symmetrically balanced — a perfect icon to represent the country to the rest of the world.