Top Travel Attractions in China
The Great Wall
The Great Wall, literally meaning “Long Fortress”, is an ancient Chinese fortification, built to protect against the invasions from the Huns in the north. It stretches over a formidable 6,400 km, from the boundary with Korea on the Yalu River.
Forbidden City
Forbidden City is the largest palace complex and one of the most dazzling architectural masterpieces in the world. This compound, 960-meter long from north to south and 750-meter wide from east to west, is surrounded by 8-meter high walls, and a 6-meter deep, 52-meter wide moat. It covers 74 hectares and contains immense courtyards, terraces, and magnificent buildings with golden roofs, red columns and green, red and yellow facings.
Terracota Amy
The Terracotta Army was discovered in 1974 and is only a short distance away from the Qinshihuang Mausoleum near Xi’an. The army was there to defend the tomb. The tomb itself, occupying some 400 square meters, is still not opened. There are four large pits built on site covering a total area of about sixty square kilometers. There are over 7000 life sized terra cotta soldiers and 1000 have been preserved. There are generals, archers, horses, foot soldier and more. Every soldier had individual features and his own personality.
The Bund
The Bund is one of the top attractions in Shanghai. For over one hundred years, the Bund has been regarded as the symbol of Shanghai. It stretches almost one mile along the west bank of the Huangpu River. The Bund begins at Jinling East Road in the south and extends north to Waibaidu Bridge, where the Suzhou Creek connects with the Huangpu River. Across the river is the newly developed Pudong commercial district, where the Oriental Pearl TV Tower and the Jin Mao Tower are the most prominent buildings.
Potala Palace
Potala Palace was originally built by King Songtsen Gampo in 637 to greet his bride Princess Wen Cheng of the Tang Dynasty of China. It was later rebuilt by the Fifth Dalai Lama in 1645 after being destroyed by war. The Thirteenth Dalai Lama repaired and extended it to the present size of about 32 acres. The structure is 117 meters (384 ft) of height and 360 meters (1,180 ft) of width. Reserve two hours for this place, one hour for climb up and down the steps to and from the palace, and one hour for tour inside the building. Also prepare for lots of walks up and down many stairs inside the building as the palace is 14 stories high.
The Yangtze River
The mighty Yangtze, or Changjiang , is said to be the cradle of Chinese civilization. The Yangtze cruise is a ‘must do’ for any tourists because of its most spectacular scenery imaginable. The “Ten Thousand Li Changjiang ” flows 6.300 kilometers from the snowy heights of the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau to the East China Sea. The most impressive section of the river is the three Yangtze River gorges, collectively known as the Three Gorges, and the controversial dam.
Lijiang River
Lijiang River is one of China’s most famous scenic areas. The poetic and picturesque Lijiang River winds and meanders its way for 170 kilometers before joining the western tributary of the Pearl River. The rolling peaks, steep cliffs, green hills and clear water along the river create a fascinating hundred-mile picture gallery. A true fairy land with hills beyond hills with their reflections in the crystal water! You will see the lush green bamboos greeting you along the way; the water buffaloes casually patrolling the fields; the ducks swimming along the river; the fisherman catnapping on the bamboo. It’s a God dotted landscape!
West Lake
West Lake is Hangzhou’s top tourist attraction, renowned for panoramic natural scenery, weeping willow trees, showy flowering bushes, rockeries, and ancient stone bridges. It covers an area of 6 square kilometers and is dotted with some of Hangzhou’s most famous historical pagodas, cultural sites, and beautiful hills. The lake is divided by three causeways called Sudi Causeway , Baidi Causeway , and Yanggong Di .
Mogao Grottoes
Mogao Grottoes is the largest, best preserved and richest treasure house of Buddhist art in the world. There are about 2,100 colored statues and 45,000 square meters of murals in 492 caves. The caves vary in size, and the colored statues also differ in size, ranging from a few centimeters to 33 meters high, embodying the remarkable imagination of their makers. Today the murals are still brightly colored, with clear lines after hundreds years of erosion. The pictures of different styles and schools from different historical periods tell Buddhist stories and life in the secular world.
Huangshan
“No need to see any other mountains after Huangshan”, as the old saying goes. Huangshan , or literally Yellow Mountain, is known for its breathtaking views and incredible landscapes. It covers an area of 1,200 square kms (about 470 sq miles), stretching 40 kms (25 miles) from north to south and 30 kms (about 19 miles) from east to west. Huangshan is famous for its four unique scenes: queer pine trees, shaped rocks, hot springs, and sea of clouds. The exquisite scenery varies with the four seasons. Most spectacular ones are blossoms in spring, waterfalls in summer, forest in fall and snow in winter.
Jiuzhaigou
Jiuzhaigou, composed of three valleys (Shuzheng, Rize and Zechawa) in the form of a letter Y, is a beautiful “fairyland valley” running over 40 km through snow-covered mountains, lakes, waterfalls and forest.
The valley derives its name from the 9 ancient Tibetan villages within the valleys. Its highest point, located at the end of the valley, is 4,700 m above the sea level. Other main sight-seeing spots are between 1,980 meters and 3,000 meters high. Jiuzhaigou was inhabited by Tibetans and Qiangs for centuries but had not been disturbed until the end of the 1960s when lumber workers arrived there. In 1975, the government sent a team to Jiuzhaigou to investigate the field. The team were so impressed by its natural beauty that they immediately published their surveys and comments: Jiuzhaigou has rare animals and rich plant resources, and most of all, it is a beautiful “fairyland valley”.
