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China has a vast boundary that features lovely landscapes and captivating cultural sites that exudes long and rich history of the largest country in the world. China boasts of 99 state-class historical and cultural cities, 750 national-class cultural relics and places of historical interest under key government protection and 119 major scenic spots, 19 of which are listed as world Natural and Cultural Heritages.
The Chinese historic past and radiant culture can be retraced in the ancient ruins and relics. Beijing, Xi'an, Nanjing, Luoyang, Kaifeng, Hangzhou and Anyang are the 7 ancient capitals of China. The sightseeing in China includes some of the world's true wonders such as the Forbidden City in Beijing, the Great Wall and the Terracotta Warriors in Xian. Every region of the country is an abundant source of archaeological and cultural attractions apart from incredible natural sights.
Great Wall of China
During the Zhou dynasty in the 7th century BC, individual states in the northern regions of China constructed defensive walls in order to protect their territories. When China was united during the Qin Dynasty in 221 BC, the walls were joined to keep out invading Xiongnu tribes.
With a history of over 2,000 years, the Great Wall is the symbol of China's ancient civilization. It starts from Bohai Sea in the east and ends at Jiayuguan Pass in the west covering a distance of 6,350 km. The section at Badaling, 75 km north of Beijing is the most representative part of the Great Wall.
Forbidden City
Spread over 2.3 million sq ft of area, Forbidden City was built during 140-1420 AD. It was the royal residence of Ming and Qing Emperors where altogether 24 emperors had lived. It is surrounded by defensive walls that are more than 30 ft in height, 10,000 ft in length and protected by a 170 ft wide moat.
The palace comprises of an outer and an inner court. The outer court is centered on the Midway Hall of Harmony, the Hall of Military Prowess and the Hall of Supreme Harmony. The inner court has the Hall of Celestial Purity, the Hall of Terrestrial Tranquility and the Hall of Union and Peace flanked on two sides by the Six East and the Six West palaces. It is now the world's largest and best preserved imperial palace that boasts rare relics of 1,050,000 pieces.
Tiananmen Square
The word ‘Tiananmen' means ‘Gate of Heavenly Peace' in Mandarin. Located in the heart of Beijing, it was first built in the Ming Dynasty. It measures over 500 m from east to west and more than 800 m from south to north spanning an area of 440,000 sq m. Tiananmen Square has the gate to the Forbidden City towards the north; the Great Hall of the People to its west; the Qianmen Gate to the south and the Museum of the People's Revolution to the east.
Terracotta Army of Emperor Qin Shi Huang
Located outside of Xian, the partially unearthed terracotta army belonged to the First Emperor Qin Shihuang's (259-210 BC). All of the 6,000 life-sized clay warriors and the horses that stand by them were individually crafted with each warrior weighing more than 270 kg and standing over 6 ft high. The army guarded the dead emperor's tomb and provided protection for him in the afterlife. The buried wonders were found in 1974 in the course of digging a well.
Summer Palace
The central feature of the Summer Palace is the manmade Kunming Lake. A path follows the lake's northern shore that is a pleasant place for walking and enjoying the beautifully-landscaped grounds. Within the Summer Palace is an amazing display of 10,000 paintings on the crossbeams in the corridors.
Temple of Heaven
The main structures of the Temple of Heaven date back to 1420 during the Ming dynasty. They were built for the purpose of honoring both heaven and earth. Since the emperor was considered to be the ‘Son of the Heaven', he was responsible for carrying out matters on earth on behalf of the powers above. Any natural disaster was seen as a sign of the Emperor's loss of favor and to avoid any loss of favor, presiding rulers made frequent sacrifices to heaven at this temple.
Li River
The Li River begins its journey in Xinan country situated to the northeast of Guilin. It meanders its way in a south-easterly direction for approximately 250 miles before merging with the Xi River in Wulin. The scenery along the river is some of the most stunning in China. The 50 mile stretch from Guilin to Yanshuo is the most popular of all where limestone karst formations dominate.
Huangpu River and the Bund
Cruising along the Huangpu gives visitors a glimpse into Shanghai's past apart from providing the great views of the modern skyline of the city. The Bund, considered to be the birthplace of Shanghai, is in the center of the rivers. The modern structures of Pudong including the landmark Oriental Pearl TV tower can also be seen. A sightseeing tunnel runs under the river connecting the two sides and is an attraction in its own right.
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