Top tourist attractions in China
Here is a list of top tourist attractions in China. Only the topmost tourist destinations are presented here. To see other destinations, please check the images from China section.
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Great Wall of China
Tourist attraction
The Great Wall of China is a series of fortifications made of stone, brick, tamped earth, wood, and other materials, generally built along an east-to-west line across the historical northern borders of China in part to protect the Chinese Empire or its prototypical states against intrusions by various nomadic groups or military incursions by various warlike peoples or forces. Several walls were being built as early as the 7th century BC; these, later joined together and made bigger and stronger, are now collectively referred to as the Great Wall. Especially famous is the wall built between 220–206 BC by the first Emperor of China, Qin Shi Huang. Little of that wall remains. Since then, the Great Wall has on and off been rebuilt, maintained, and enhanced; the majority of the existing wall was reconstructed during the Ming Dynasty. Other purposes of the Great Wall have included border controls, allowing the imposition of duties on goods transported along the Silk Road, regulation or encouragement of trade and the control of immigration and emigration. Furthermore, the defensive characteristics of the Great Wall were enhanced by the construction of watch towers, troop barracks, garrison stations, signaling capabilities through the means of smoke or fire, and the fact that the path of the Great Wall also served as a transportation corridor.
Forbidden City
Chinese Structure
The Forbidden City was the Chinese imperial palace from the Ming Dynasty to the end of the Qing Dynasty. It is located in the centre of Beijing, China, and now houses the Palace Museum. For almost 500 years, it served as the home of emperors and their households, as well as the ceremonial and political center of Chinese government. Built in 1406 to 1420, the complex consists of 980 buildings and covers 720,000 m². The palace complex exemplifies traditional Chinese palatial architecture, and has influenced cultural and architectural developments in East Asia and elsewhere. The Forbidden City was declared a World Heritage Site in 1987, and is listed by UNESCO as the largest collection of preserved ancient wooden structures in the world. Since 1925, the Forbidden City has been under the charge of the Palace Museum, whose extensive collection of artwork and artifacts were built upon the imperial collections of the Ming and Qing dynasties. Part of the museum's former collection is now located in the National Palace Museum in Taipei. Both museums descend from the same institution, but were split after the Chinese Civil War.
Hong Kong Disneyland
Amusement Park
Hong Kong Disneyland is located on reclaimed land in Penny's Bay, Lantau Island. It is the first theme park located inside the Hong Kong Disneyland Resort and is owned and managed by the Hong Kong International Theme Parks. It is, together with Ocean Park Hong Kong, one of the two large theme parks in Hong Kong. Hong Kong Disneyland opened to visitors on 12 September 2005. Disney attempted to avoid problems of cultural backlash by attempting to incorporate Chinese culture, customs, and traditions when designing and building the resort, including adherence to the rules of feng shui. For instance, a bend was put in a walkway near the Hong Kong Disneyland Resort entrance so good qi energy wouldn't flow into the South China Sea. The park consists of seven themed areas: Main Street, U.S.A., Fantasyland, Adventureland, Tomorrowland, Grizzly Gulch, Mystic Point, and Toy Story Land. The theme park's cast members speak in Cantonese, English, and Mandarin. Guide maps are printed in traditional and simplified Chinese as well as English, French, and Japanese. The park has a daily capacity of 34,000 visitors — the least of all Disneyland parks. The park attracted 5.2 million visitors in its first year, below its target of 5.6 million. Visitor numbers fell 20% in the second year to 4 million, inciting criticisms from local legislators. However, the park attendance slightly increased by 8% in the third year, attracting a total of 4.5 million visitors in 2007. In 2009, the park attendance again increased by 2% to 4.8 million visitors. The attendance continued to surge and received 5.23 million guests in the 2009/2010 fiscal year. Since the opening of Hong Kong Disneyland, the theme park has hosted over 25 million guests. According to AECOM and TEA, Hong Kong Disneyland is the 14th most visited theme park in the world in 2012, with 6.7 million visitors. The park also turned a net profit of HK$109 million for the year ended 29 September 2012, the first annual profit.
Tiananmen Square
Tourist attraction
Tiananmen Square is a large city square in the center of Beijing, China, named after the Tiananmen Gate located to its North, separating it from the Forbidden City. Tiananmen Square is the third largest city square in the world. It has great cultural significance as it was the site of several important events in Chinese history. Outside China, the square is best known in recent memory as the focal point of the Tiananmen Square protests of 1989, a pro-democracy movement which ended on 4 June 1989 with the declaration of martial law in Beijing by the government and the death of several hundred or possibly thousands of civilians.
Terracotta Army
World Heritage Site
The Terracotta Army or the "Terracotta Warriors and Horses", is a collection of terracotta sculptures depicting the armies of Qin Shi Huang, the first Emperor of China. It is a form of funerary art buried with the emperor in 210–209 BC and whose purpose was to protect the emperor in his afterlife. The figures, dating from around the late third century BC, were discovered in 1974 by local farmers in Lintong District, Xi'an, Shaanxi province. The figures vary in height according to their roles, with the tallest being the generals. The figures include warriors, chariots and horses. Current estimates are that in the three pits containing the Terracotta Army there were over 8,000 soldiers, 130 chariots with 520 horses and 150 cavalry horses, the majority of which are still buried in the pits near by Qin Shi Huang's mausoleum. Other terracotta non-military figures were also found in other pits and they include officials, acrobats, strongmen and musicians.
Taipei 101
Skyscraper
Taipei 101, formerly known as the Taipei World Financial Center, is a landmark skyscraper located in Xinyi District, Taipei, Republic of China. The building ranked officially as the world's tallest from 2004 until the opening of the Burj Khalifa in Dubai in 2010. In July 2011, the building was awarded LEED Platinum certification, the highest award in the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design rating system and became the tallest and largest green building in the world. Taipei 101 was designed by C.Y. Lee & partners and constructed primarily by KTRT Joint Venture. In 2001, the Taipei Financial Center Corporation handed over the entire construction authority to Samsung C&T Corporation to expedite the process and to save KTRT Joint Venture's loss. The construction was finished in 2004. The tower has served as an icon of modern Taiwan ever since its opening. Fireworks launched from Taipei 101 feature prominently in international New Year's Eve broadcasts and the structure appears frequently in travel literature and international media. Taipei 101 comprises 101 floors above ground and 5 floors underground. The building was architecturally created as a symbol of the evolution of technology and Asian tradition. Its postmodernist approach to style incorporates traditional design elements and gives them modern treatments. The tower is designed to withstand typhoons and earthquakes. A multi-level shopping mall adjoining the tower houses hundreds of fashionable stores, restaurants and clubs.
Beijing National Stadium
Olympic venue
Beijing National Stadium, officially the National Stadium, also known as the Bird's Nest, is a stadium in Beijing, China. The stadium was designed for use throughout the 2008 Summer Olympics and Paralympics.
Lantau Island
Island
Lantau Island, based on the old local name of Lantau Peak, is the largest island in Hong Kong, located at the mouth of the Pearl River. Administratively, most of Lantau Island is part of the Islands District of Hong Kong. A small northeastern portion of the island is located in the Tsuen Wan District. Originally the site of fishing villages, the island has been developed in recent years with the construction of Tung Chung New Town on its north-western coast and the completion of several major infrastructure projects, including Lantau Link, Hong Kong International Airport, Hong Kong Disneyland and Ngong Ping 360.
Potala Palace
Tourist attraction
The Potala Palace is located in Lhasa, Tibet Autonomous Region, China. It is named after Mount Potalaka, the mythical abode of Chenresig or Avalokitesvara. The Potala Palace was the chief residence of the Dalai Lama until the 14th Dalai Lama fled to Dharamsala, India, during the 1959 Tibetan uprising. Lozang Gyatso, the Great Fifth Dalai Lama, started the construction of the Potala Palace in 1645 after one of his spiritual advisers, Konchog Chophel, pointed out that the site was ideal as a seat of government, situated as it is between Drepung and Sera monasteries and the old city of Lhasa. It may overlay the remains of an earlier fortress, called the White or Red Palace, on the site built by Songtsen Gampo in 637. Today, the Potala Palace is a museum. The building measures 400 metres east-west and 350 metres north-south, with sloping stone walls averaging 3 m. thick, and 5 m. thick at the base, and with copper poured into the foundations to help proof it against earthquakes. Thirteen stories of buildings – containing over 1,000 rooms, 10,000 shrines and about 200,000 statues – soar 117 metres on top of Marpo Ri, the "Red Hill", rising more than 300 m in total above the valley floor.
The Bund
Tourist attraction
The Bund is a waterfront area in central Shanghai. The area centres on a section of Zhongshan Road within the former Shanghai International Settlement, which runs along the western bank of the Huangpu River, facing Pudong, in the eastern part of Huangpu District. The Bund usually refers to the buildings and wharves on this section of the road, as well as some adjacent areas. It is one of the most famous tourist destinations in Shanghai. Building heights are restricted in this area.
Kowloon Walled City
Tourist attraction
Kowloon Walled City was a densely populated, largely ungoverned settlement in Kowloon, Hong Kong. Originally a Chinese military fort, the Walled City became an enclave after the New Territories were leased to Britain in 1898. Its population increased dramatically following the Japanese occupation of Hong Kong during World War II. In 1987, the Walled City contained 33,000 residents within its 6.5-acre borders. From the 1950s to the 1970s, it was controlled by Triads and had high rates of prostitution, gambling, and drug use. In January 1987, the Hong Kong government announced plans to demolish the Walled City. After an arduous eviction process, demolition began in March 1993 and was completed in April 1994. Kowloon Walled City Park opened in December 1995 and occupies the area of the former Walled City. Some historical artifacts from the Walled City, including its yamen building and remnants of its South Gate, have been preserved there.
Summer Palace
Chinese Structure
The Summer Palace, or officially in China Garden of Nurtured Harmony, is a vast ensemble of lakes, gardens and palatial buildings in Beijing, China. The Summer Palace is mainly dominated by Longevity Hill and the Kunming Lake. It covers an expanse of 2.9 square kilometres, three-quarters of which is water. Longevity Hill is about 60 metres high and has many buildings positioned in sequence. The front hill is rich with splendid halls and pavilions, while the back hill, in sharp contrast, is quiet with natural beauty. The central Kunming Lake covering 2.2 square kilometres was entirely man-made and the excavated soil was used to build Longevity Hill. In the Summer Palace, one finds a variety of palaces, gardens, and other classical-style architectural structures. In December 1998, UNESCO included the Summer Palace on its World Heritage List. It declared the Summer Palace "a masterpiece of Chinese landscape garden design. The natural landscape of hills and open water is combined with artificial features such as pavilions, halls, palaces, temples and bridges to form a harmonious ensemble of outstanding aesthetic value." It is a popular tourist destination but also serves as a recreational park.
Temple of Heaven
Tourist attraction
The Temple of Heaven, literally the Altar of Heaven is a complex of religious buildings situated in the southeastern part of central Beijing. The complex was visited by the Emperors of the Ming and Qing dynasties for annual ceremonies of prayer to Heaven for good harvest. It has been regarded as a Taoist temple, although Chinese Heaven worship, especially by the reigning monarch of the day, pre-dates Taoism.
National Palace Museum
History Museum
The National Palace Museum is an antique museum in Shilin, Taipei, Taiwan. It is one of the national museums of the Republic of China, and has a permanent collection of more than 696,000 pieces of ancient Chinese artifacts and artworks, making it one of the largest in the world. The collection encompasses over 8,000 years of Chinese history from the Neolithic age to the late Qing Dynasty. Most of the collection are high quality pieces collected by China's ancient emperors. The National Palace Museum and Palace Museum, located inside the Forbidden City in Beijing, People's Republic of China, share the same original roots, which was split in two as a result of the Chinese Civil War. In English, the institution in Taipei is distinguished from the one in Beijing by the additional "National" designation. In common usage in Chinese, the institution in Taipei is known as the "Taipei Gugong", while that in Beijing is known as the "Beijing Gugong".
West Lake
Body Of Water
West Lake or Xī Hú is a freshwater lake located in the historic area of Hangzhou, the capital of Zhejiang province in eastern China. The lake is divided by the causeways of Sū Dī, Bái Dī, and Yánggōng Dī. There are numerous temples, pagodas, gardens, and artificial islands within the lake. West Lake has influenced poets and painters throughout the ages for its natural beauty and historical relics, and it has been among the most important sources of inspiration for Chinese garden designers, as evidenced by the impact it had on various Chinese classical gardens. It was made a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2011, and was described as having "influenced garden design in the rest of China as well as Japan and Korea over the centuries" and as reflecting "an idealized fusion between humans and nature."
Oriental Pearl Tower
Futurist Structure
The Oriental Pearl Radio & TV Tower is a TV tower in Shanghai, China. Its location at the tip of Lujiazui in the Pudong district by the side of Huangpu River, opposite The Bund, makes it a distinct landmark in the area. Its principal designers were Jiang Huan Chen, Lin Benlin and Zhang Xiulin. Construction began in 1991, and the tower was completed in 1994. At 468 m high, it was the tallest structure in China from 1994–2007, when it was surpassed by the Shanghai World Financial Center. It is classified as a AAAAA scenic area by the China National Tourism Administration. The tower is brightly lit in different LED sequences at night. On 7 July 2007, Oriental Pearl Tower was host to the Chinese Live Earth concert.
Old Summer Palace
Tourist attraction
The Old Summer Palace, known in Chinese as Yuan Ming Yuan, and originally called the Imperial Gardens, was a complex of palaces and gardens in Beijing. It is located 8 kilometres northwest of the walls of the Imperial City and was built in the 18th and early 19th century as the place where the emperors of the Qing Dynasty resided and handled government affairs. The Old Summer Palace was known for its extensive collection of garden and building architectures and other works of art. Nearby and to the south was an extensive imperial hunting park known as "Nanyuan". In 1860 during the Second Opium War, two British envoys, a journalist for The Times and their small escort of British and Indian troopers met with the Royal Prince to negotiate. They were imprisoned and tortured, resulting in twenty deaths. The British High Commissioner to China, Lord Elgin, retaliated by ordering the destruction of the palace, which was then carried out by British and French troops.
Beijing Zoo
Zoo
The Beijing Zoo is a zoological park in Beijing, China. Located in the Xicheng District, the zoo occupies an area of 89 hectares, including 5.6 hectares hectares of lakes and ponds. It is one of the oldest zoos in China and has one of the largest animal collections in the country. The zoo and its aquarium has over 450 species of land animals and over 500 species of marine animals. In all, it is home to 14,500 animals. More than six million visitors come to the zoo each year. The zoo was founded in 1906 during the late Qing Dynasty. Like many of Beijing's parks, the zoo's grounds resemble classical Chinese gardens, with flower beds amidst natural scenery, including dense groves of trees, stretches of meadows, small streams and rivers, lotus pools and hills dotted with pavilions and historical buildings. The Beijing Zoo is best known for its collection of rare animals endemic to China including the Giant Pandas, which are zoo's most popular animals, the golden snub-nosed monkey, South China Tiger, white-lipped deer, Pere David's Deer, crested ibis, Chinese Alligator and the Chinese Giant Salamander. Other endangered or threatened species include Siberian tiger, yak, Przewalski's horse, snow leopard, Tibetan gazelle, and kiang.
Cheung Chau
Island
Cheung Chau is a small island 10 km southwest of Hong Kong Island, is nicknamed as the 'dumbbell island' for its shape. It has been inhabited for longer than most other places in the territory of Hong Kong, with a population of about 23,000 up to 2006. Administratively, it is part of the Islands District.
Macau Tower
Tower
Macau Tower Convention & Entertainment Centre, also known as Macau Tower, is a tower located in the Special Administrative Region of the People's Republic of China. Macau used to be a Portuguese colony until 1999. The tower measures 338 m in height from ground level to the highest point. An observation deck with panoramic views, restaurants, theaters, shopping malls and the Skywalk X, a thrilling walking tour around the outer rim. It offers the best view of Macau and in recent years has been used for a variety of adventurous activities. At 233 meters, the Macau Tower's tethered "skyjump" and Bungee jump by AJ Hackett from the tower's outer rim, is the second highest commercial skyjump in the world, after Vegas' Stratosphere skyjump at 260 meters. The tower was created by the architecture firm of Craig Craig Moller. The tower is one of the members of the World Federation of Great Towers. Besides being used for observation and entertainment, the tower is also used for telecommunications and broadcasting.
Madame Tussauds Hong Kong
Museum
Madame Tussauds Hong Kong, part of the renowned chain of wax museums founded by Marie Tussaud of France, is located at the Peak Tower on Hong Kong Island in Hong Kong. It is the first and one of the only two permanent Madame Tussauds museums in Asia, the other being the Shanghai branch, which opened in 2006. The Hong Kong branch houses nearly 100 wax figures of internationally-known personalities, with Asian figures taking up more than a third of the total, of which sixteen were Hong Kongers. The wax figures are featured in a range of themed settings such as Hong Kong Glamour, Music Icons, Historical and National Heroes, The Champions and World Premiere.
Shanghai Museum
Art Museum
The Shanghai Museum is a museum of ancient Chinese art, situated on the People's Square in the Huangpu District of Shanghai, China.
Hangzhou Bay Bridge
Cable-stayed Bridge
Hangzhou Bay Bridge is a highway bridge with a cable-stayed portion across Hangzhou Bay in the eastern coastal region of China. It connects the municipalities of Jiaxing and Ningbo in Zhejiang province. Construction of the bridge was completed on June 14, 2007, and an opening ceremony was held on June 26, 2007, to great domestic media fanfare. The bridge was not opened to public use until May 1, 2008, after a considerable period of testing and evaluation. The bridge shortened the highway travel distance between Ningbo and Shanghai from 400 km to 280 km and reduced travel time from 4 to 2.5 hours. At 35.673 km in length, Hangzhou Bay Bridge was among the ten longest trans-oceanic bridges when it opened.
Longmen Grottoes
World Heritage Site
The Longmen Grottoes or Longmen Caves are one of the finest examples of Chinese Buddhist art. Housing tens of thousands of statues of Buddha and his disciples, they are located 12 kilometres south of present day Luòyáng in Hénán province, Peoples Republic of China. The images, many once painted, were carved into caves excavated from the limestone cliffs of the Xiangshan and Longmenshan mountains, running east and west. The Yi River flows northward between them and the area used to be called Yique. The alternative name of "Dragon's Gate Grottoes" derives from the resemblance of the two hills that check the flow of the Yi River to the typical "Chinese gate towers" that once marked the entrance to Luoyang from the south. There are as many as 100,000 statues within the 1,400 caves, ranging from an 1 inch to 57 feet in height. The area also contains nearly 2,500 stelae and inscriptions, whence the name “Forest of Ancient Stelae", as well as over sixty Buddhist pagodas. Situated in a scenic natural environment, the caves were dug from a 1 kilometre stretch of cliff running along both banks of the river. 30% date from the Northern Wei Dynasty and 60% from the Tang, caves from other periods accounting for less than 10% of the total. Starting with the Northern Wei Dynasty in 493 AD, patrons and donors included emperors, Wu Zetian of the Second Zhou Dynasty, members of the royal family, other rich families, generals, and religious groups.
Dujiangyan irrigation system
World Heritage Site
Dujiangyan is an irrigation infrastructure built in 256 BC during the Warring States period of China by the Kingdom of Qin. It is located in the Min River in Sichuan province, China, near the capital Chengdu. It is still in use today to irrigate over 5,300 square kilometers of land in the region. The Dujiangyan along with the Zhengguo Canal in Shaanxi Province and the Lingqu Canal in Guangxi Province are known as “The three great hydraulic engineering projects of the Qin Dynasty”.
Taipei Zoo
Zoo
The Taipei Zoo, sometimes referred to as the "Muzha Zoo", is a public zoological garden in Taipei City in Taiwan. It is the most famous zoological garden in Taiwan and a leader in conservation, research and education, and recreation. It is also the largest zoo in Asia. Taipei Zoo was founded in 1914, when Taiwan was under Japanese sovereignty, in Yuanshan Mountain on the northern suburb of Taipei City. It was originally a private zoological garden owned by a Japanese citizen, Mr Oe. The Japanese government in Taiwan bought the property the following year and opened it as a public park. After World War II, the Republic of China retreated to Taiwan and the ownership of the park was passed to the Taipei city government of ROC. An Asian elephant named Lin Wang that served with the Chinese Expeditionary Force during the Second Sino-Japanese War and later relocated to Taiwan with the Kuomintang forces was moved to the zoo, and lived out most of his life and was the most popular animal at the zoo, and the most famous animal in Taiwan. Many adults and children alike affectionately called the bull elephant "Grandpa Lin Wang." Due to a need for expansion and for better conditions for the animals, the zoo was moved to its current site in Muzha on the southeastern suburb of Taipei City in 1986. It is, therefore, sometimes referred to as the "Muzha Zoo" to be distinguished from the former "Yuan-shan Zoo". The current site encloses 165 hectares, including 90 hectares open to the public.
Window of the World
Amusement Park
The Window of the World is a theme park located in the western part of the city of Shenzhen in the People's Republic of China. It has about 130 reproductions of some of the most famous tourist attractions in the world squeezed into 48 hectares. The 108 metre tall Eiffel Tower dominates the skyline and the sight of the Pyramids and the Taj Mahal all in proximity to each other are all part of the appeal of this theme park. Video: Entrance of Window of the World
Shanghai Zoo
Zoo
Shanghai Zoo is the main zoological garden in the Chinese city of Shanghai.
Three Gorges
Tourist attraction
The Three Gorges, or Yangtze Gorges region is a scenic area along the Yangtze River in the People's Republic of China, which is classified as a AAAAA scenic area by the China National Tourism Administration. The Three Gorges span from the western—upriver cities of Fengjie and Yichang in Chongqing Municipality eastward—downstream to Hubei province The Three Gorges region attracts global attention due to the Three Gorges Dam, which is firmly changing the culture and environment of the river and Three Gorges region. The Yangtze River —Three Gorges region has a total length of approximately 200 kilometres. The Three Gorges occupy approximately 120 kilometres within this region. Although it is primarily famous for its scenery, the Three Gorges region is also a historically and culturally important location in China. Many settlements and archeological sites are under submersion from the rising Three Gorges Dam.
Dongting Lake
Lake
Dongting Lake, or Lake Dongting is a large, shallow lake in northeastern Hunan province, China. It is a flood basin of the Yangtze River. Hence the lake's size depends on the season. The provinces of Hubei and Hunan are named after their location relative to the lake: Hubei means "North of the Lake" and Hunan means "South of the Lake" in Chinese. Dongting Lake is famous in Chinese culture as the place of origin of Dragon boat racing. It is the site of Junshan island, and is a home to the Finless Porpoise, which is endangered in China.
Wulingyuan
World Heritage Site
Wulingyuan is a scenic and historic interest area in Hunan Province, China, noted for its quartzite sandstone pillars, some of which are over 800 metres in height and are a type of karst formation. The site is in the Zhangjiajie City and lies about 270 kilometres to the northwest of Changsha, the capital of Hunan Province. Situated between 29°16′0″N 110°22′0″E / 29.26667°N 110.36667°E and 29°24′0″N 110°41′0″E / 29.40000°N 110.68333°E, it was designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1992. Wulingyuan forms part of the Wuling Range. The scenic area comprises several national parks, one of which is the Zhangjiajie National Forest Park.
Jade Buddha Temple
Buddhist Place of Worship
The Jade Buddha Temple is a Buddhist temple in Shanghai, China. As with many modern Chinese Buddhist temples, the current temple draws from both the Pure Land and Chan traditions of Mahayana Buddhism. It was founded in 1882 with two jade Buddha statues imported to Shanghai from Burma by sea. These were a sitting Buddha, and a smaller reclining Buddha representing Buddha's death. The temple now also contains a much larger reclining Buddha made of marble, donated from Singapore, and visitors may mistake this larger sculpture for the original, smaller piece.
Mausoleum of Mao Zedong
Tourist attraction
The Chairman Mao Memorial Hall, commonly known as the Mausoleum of Mao Zedong or the Mao Mausoleum, is the final resting place of Mao Zedong, Chairman of the Politburo of the Communist Party of China from 1943 and the Chairman of the Communist Party of China from 1945 until his death in 1976. Although Mao had wished to be cremated, his body was embalmed and construction of a mausoleum began shortly after his death. This highly popular attraction is located in the middle of Tiananmen Square in Beijing, the capital of China. It stands on the previous site of the Gate of China, the southern gate of the Imperial City during the Ming and Qing dynasties. The remains of the Great Helmsman, as he is sometimes known, are on display for public viewing. People line up for hundreds of meters every day to see the former chairman, many paying tribute to him with flowers that can be purchased at the entrance on the north side. There is a souvenir shop at the exit on the south side.
Wangfujing
Tourist attraction
Wángfǔjǐng, located in Dongcheng District, Beijing, and is one of the Chinese capital's most famous shopping streets. The majority of the main shopping area is pedestrianised and is very popular for shopping for both tourists and residents of the capital. Since the middle of the Ming Dynasty there have been commercial activities in this place. In the Qing Dynasty, ten aristocratic estates and princess residence were built here, soon after when a well full of sweet water was discovered, thereby giving the street its name "Wang Fu", "Jing".
Li River
River
The Li River or Lijiang is a river in Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, China. It ranges 83 kilometers from Guilin to Yangshuo, where the Karst mountain and river sights highlight the famous Li River cruise.
Yonghe Temple
Chinese Structure
The Yonghe Temple, also known as the "Palace of Peace and Harmony Lama Temple", the "Yonghe Lamasery", or -popularly- the "Lama Temple", is a temple and monastery of the Geluk School of Tibetan Buddhism located in the northeastern part of Beijing, China. The building and the artworks of the temple is a combination of Han Chinese and Tibetan styles.
Xi River
River
The Xi River is the western tributary of the Pearl River in China. It is formed by the confluence of the Gui and Xun Rivers in Wuzhou, Guangxi. It then flows east through Guangdong, and enters the Pearl River Delta just east of the Lingyang Gorge in Zhaoqing. The main branch of the Xi River flows southeast through the delta entering the South China Sea at Modao Men, just west of Macau. The major cities along the Xi include Wuzhou, Zhaoqing, and Jiangmen. The other two main tributaries of Pearl River are the Dongjiang River and Beijiang River. The Xi River is navigable for its entire length. It is a commercial waterway of southern China, and links the delta cities to the interior. Over two thousand years ago, the Lingqu Canal was dug, connecting the Xi River basin with the Xiang River, which flows into the Yangtze, thus providing a continuous waterway from the Pearl River Delta to the Yangtze Valley. The entire Xi River system is the largest of the Pearl's tributaries, being 2,197 km, and its volume of flow is second in China only to that of the Yangtze River. It supplies water to many places in Guangxi, Guangdong and Macau.
National Museum of China
Art Gallery
The National Museum of China flanks the eastern side of Tiananmen Square in Beijing, China. The museum's mission is to educate about the arts and history of China. It is directed by the Ministry of Culture of the People's Republic of China.
Marco Polo Bridge
Tourist attraction
The Marco Polo Bridge or Lugou Bridge is a famous stone bridge located 15 km southwest of the Beijing city center in the Fengtai District. It bridges the Yongding River—a major tributary of Hai River. Situated at the eastern end of the bridge is the Wanping Fortress, a historic 17th-century fortress, with the Museum of the War of Chinese People's Resistance Against Japanese Aggression inside.
Mount Qingcheng
World Heritage Site
Mount Qingcheng is a mountain in Dujiangyan, Sichuan, China. It is amongst the most important centres of Taoism in China. In Taoism mythology, it was the site of the Yellow Emperor's studies with Ning Fengzhi. As a centre of the Daoist religion it became host to many temples. The mountain has 36 peaks.
Giant Wild Goose Pagoda
Chinese Structure
Giant Wild Goose Pagoda or Big Wild Goose Pagoda, is a Buddhist pagoda located in southern Xi'an, Shaanxi province, China. It was built in 652 during the Tang Dynasty and originally had five stories, although the structure was rebuilt in 704 during the reign of Empress Wu Zetian and its exterior brick facade was renovated during the Ming Dynasty. One of the pagoda's many functions was to hold sutras and figurines of the Buddha that were brought to China from India by the Buddhist translator and traveler Xuanzang.
Hai River
River
The Hai River, previously called Bai He, is a river in the People's Republic of China which flows through Beijing and Tianjin before emptying into the Yellow Sea at the Bohai Gulf. The Hai River at Tianjin is formed by the confluence of five rivers, the Southern Canal, Ziya River, Daqing River, Yongding River, and the Northern Canal. The southern and northern canals are parts of the Grand Canal. The Southern Canal is joined by the Wei River at Linqing. The Northern Canal joins with the Bai He at Tongzhou. The Northern Canal is also the only waterway from the sea to Beijing. Therefore, early Westerners also called the Hai He the Bai He. At Tianjin, through the Grand Canal, the Hai connects with the Yellow and Yangtze rivers. The construction of the Grand Canal greatly altered the rivers of the Hai He basin. Previously, the Wei, Ziya Yongding and Bai Rivers flowed separately to the sea. The Grand Canal cut through the lower reaches of these rivers and fused them into one outlet to the sea, in the form of the current Hai He.²
Beihai Park
Tourist attraction
Beihai Park is an imperial garden to the northwest of the Forbidden City in Beijing. First built in the 10th century, it is amongst the largest of Chinese gardens, and contains numerous historically important structures, palaces and temples. Since 1925, the place has been open to the public as a park. It is also connected at its northern end to the Shichahai. The Park has an area of more than 69 hectares, with a lake that covers more than half of the entire Park. At the center of the Park is an island called Qiónghuá Island with a highest point of 32 m. In the north of the park there is a large pool called the Taiye Pool connecting the two other pools, which are called the Middle Sea and the South Sea respectively. Therefore the Taiye Pool is also called the Beihai. Beihai literally means "Northern Sea". There are also corresponding "Central" and "Southern Seas". The complex of buildings around Zhongnanhai houses China's paramount leaders. The Beihai Park, as with many of Chinese imperial gardens, was built to imitate renowned scenic spots and architecture from various regions of China; the taihu lake, the elaborate pavilions and canals in Hangzhou and Yangzhou, the delicate garden structures in Suzhou and others all served as inspirations for the design of the numerous sites in this imperial garden. The structures and scenes in the Beihai Park are described as masterpieces of gardening technique that reflects the style and the superb architectural skill and richness of traditional Chinese garden art.
Mount Song
Mountain
Mount Song, known in Chinese as Song Shan, is a culturally significant mountain in China. It is the "Central Great Mountain" among the Five Great Mountains and located in Henan province on the south bank of the Yellow River. Its summit is 1,500 meters above sea level.
Wolong National Nature Reserve
Zoo
Wolong National Nature Reserve is a protected area located in Wenchuan County, Sichuan Province, People's Republic of China. Established in 1963, the reserve covers an area of about 200,000 hectares in the Qionglai Mountains region. There are over 4,000 different species recorded in the reserve. Wolong National Nature Reserve houses more than 150 highly endangered giant pandas. The reserve is also a home to many other endangered species including: red pandas, golden monkeys, white-lipped deer and many precious plants. Wolong gets up to 100,000 visitors every year.
Hong Kong Space Museum
Museum
The Hong Kong Space Museum is a museum of astronomy and space science in Tsim Sha Tsui, Hong Kong. It is managed by the Leisure and Cultural Services Department of the Hong Kong Government.
Hong Kong Museum of Art
Museum
The Hong Kong Museum of Art is the main art museum of Hong Kong. The museum was established as the City Hall Museum and Art Gallery in the City Hall in Central by the Urban Council in 1962. In 1991, it was moved to the present premises at 10 Salisbury Road, near the Hong Kong Cultural Centre and the Hong Kong Space Museum, in Tsim Sha Tsui. It is currently managed by the Leisure and Cultural Services Department of the Hong Kong Government. A branch museum, the Flagstaff House Museum of Tea Ware, is situated in the Hong Kong Park.
Soviet aircraft carrier Kiev
Ship
Kiev was a heavy aircraft carrying cruiser that served the Soviet and Russian navies from 1975 to 1993. It was built between 1970 and 1975 at Chernomorski factory in Mykolaiv and was the first ship of its class
Dian Lake
Lake
Dian Lake, Lake Dian or Kunming Lake is a large endorheic lake located on the Yunnan-Guizhou Plateau close to Kunming, Yunnan, China. Its nickname is "Sparkling Pearl Embedded in a Highland," and it was the model for the Kunming Lake in the Summer Palace in Beijing. It is a freshwater fault lake at 1,886.5 m above sea level. The lake covers 298 km². It is 39 km long from north to south, and the average depth is 4.4 m. It is the eighth largest lake in China and the largest in Yunnan Province.
Lugu Lake
Tourist attraction
Lugu Lake is located in the North West Yunnan plateau in the centre of Ningliang Yi Autonomous County in the People's Republic of China. The middle of the lake forms the border between the Ninglang County of Yunnan Province and the Yanyuan County of Sichuan province. The formation of the lake is thought to have occurred in a geological fault belonging to the geological age of the Late Cenozoic. It is an alpine lake at an elevation of 2,685 metres and is the highest lake in the Yunnan Province. The lake is surrounded by mountains and has five islands, four peninsulas, fourteen bays and seventeen beaches. The lake's shores are inhabited by many minority ethnic groups, such as the Mosuo, Norzu, Yi, Pumi and Tibetan. The most numerous of these are the Mosuo people, said to be a sub clan of the Naxi people with ancient family structure considered as "a live fossil for researching the marital development history of Human beings" and "the last quaint Realm of Matriarchy." It is considered as the home of the Moso Tribe However, Mosuo have a separate identity from the Naxis, as it is said that the Chinese used the word Mosuo as a generic term for different ethnic groups, including the Naxi.
Mount Lao
Tourist attraction
Mount Lao, or Laoshan is a mountain located near the East China Sea on the southeastern coastline of the Shandong Peninsula in China. The mountain is culturally significant due to its long affiliation with Taoism and is often regarded as one of the "cradles of Taoism". It is the highest coastal mountain in China and the second highest mountain in Shandong, with the highest peak reaching 1,132.7 metres. The mountain lies about 30 kilometres to the northeast of the downtown area of the City of Qingdao and is protected by the Qingdao Laoshan National Park that covers an area of 446 square kilometers.
Wolong Gang
Tourist attraction
Wolong Gang is a cultural site and scenic area in Nanyang city, Henan province, People's Republic of China. It's famous for Zhuge Liang, a chancellor of Shu Han during the Three Kingdoms period of Chinese history, who lived there for about ten years. Zhuge Liang is also known as Wolong, and he was posthumously named the Marquis of Wu.
Silk Street
Tourist attraction
Silk Street, aka Silk Market or Silk Street Market, is a shopping center in Chaoyang District, Beijing, that accommodates over 1,700 retail vendors, notorious among international tourists for their wide selection of counterfeit designer brand apparel. The Silk Street attracts approximately 20,000 visitors daily on weekdays and between 50,000 and 60,000 on weekends as of 2006. This 35,000-square-meter complex houses 1,700 retail vendors and over 3,000 salespeople spread over seven floors with three levels of basements. Many of the stalls have, over the years, gained local and international reputation for selling counterfeit luxury designer brands at relatively low prices. Some have carried on this trademark despite growing pressures from the management, the Chinese government and famous brand-name companies. Opened on March 19, 2005, and replacing the old alley-based Xiushui Market, the current Silk Street establishment has diversified their business scope. In addition to selling fashion apparels and accessories such as hats, handbags, shoes, belts, sportswear and silk fabrics like their predecessor, the new Silk Street has introduced traditional Chinese handicrafts, antiques, calligraphy, carpets, table cloths, bed coverings, paintings, hand-knit dresses, toys, electronic gadgets, trinkets, and fine jewelry. Reputable establishments such as the Tongrentang Pharmacy, Quanjude Peking Roast Duck restaurant, and multi-national coffee and restaurant chains such as Lavazza, SPR Coffee, Caffe L'affare, Subway and TCBY have also joined Silk Street's bid to become the "ultimate one-stop tourist destination" in Beijing. Invested and constructed by Beijing Xinyashenhong Real Estate Development Co., Ltd. and managed by Beijing Silk Street Garment Market Co., Ltd.
White Horse Temple
Buddhist Place of Worship
Do not confuse this pagoda with the White Horse Pagoda, Dunhuang. White Horse Temple is, according to tradition, the first Buddhist temple in China, established in 68 AD under the patronage of Emperor Ming in the Eastern Han capital Luoyang. The site is located just outside the walls of the ancient Eastern Han capital, some 12–13 kilometres east of Luoyang in Henan Province. It is located approximately 40 minutes by bus No. 56 from the Luoyang railway station. The temple, although small in size in comparison to many other temples in China, is considered by most believers as "the cradle of Chinese Buddhism". The geographical landmarks to the south of the temple are Manghan mountain and Lucoche River. The main temple buildings, a large complex, were reconstructed during the Ming and Qing dynasties. They were refurbished in 1950s, and again in March 1973 after the Cultural Revolution. It has numerous halls divided by several courtyards and manicured gardens, covering an area extending to about 13 hectares. The display plaques in Chinese and English give ample descriptions of the Buddhist deities installed in various halls. Significant statues include Śākyamuni Buddha, Maitreya-the laughing Buddha, the Jade Buddha, and figures of saints such as Guru Avalokiteśvara, Amitābha and arhats. Stone statues of the two white horses, which brought the Indian monks to China, and of two mythical lions are seen at the entrance. Under international funding, the temple has undergone many changes, both structurally and internally. The most recent cooperative project, with India, was completed in 2008 when the Sanchi Stupa and the Sarnath Buddha statue were erected.
Flagstaff House
Museum
Flagstaff House is the oldest example of British-style architecture remaining in Hong Kong. It is located in 10 Cotton Tree Drive, Central - within the Hong Kong Park. It has been a longtime residence of the Commander of the British forces in Hong Kong during colonial times. Today Flagstaff House houses the Museum of Tea Ware. The building is a popular setting for wedding photography.
Yellow Crane Tower
Tourist attraction
Yellow Crane Tower is a famous and historic tower, first built in 223 AD. The current structure, however, was rebuilt in 1981 at an one kilometre distance from the original site, and bears little resemblance to the historical Yellow Crane Tower. The tower stands on Sheshan, at the bank of Yangtze River in Wuchang District, Wuhan, in Hubei province of central China.
Shichahai
Tourist attraction
Shichahai is an historic scenic area consisting of three lakes in the north of central Beijing in China. They are located to the north-west of the Forbidden City and north-west of the Beihai Lake. Shichahai consists of the following three lakes: Qianhai, Xihai and Houhai. In imperial times it was called the Riverbank.
Lingyin Temple
Buddhist Place of Worship
Lingyin Temple is a Buddhist temple of the Chan sect located north-west of Hangzhou, Zhejiang Province, People's Republic of China. The temple's name is commonly literally translated as Temple of the Soul's Retreat. It is one of the largest and wealthiest Buddhist temples in China, and contains numerous pagodas and Budddhist grottoes. The monastery is the largest of several temples in the Wulin Mountains, which also features a large number of grottos and religious rock carvings, the most famous of which is the Feilai Feng.
Shanghai Art Museum
Museum
The Shanghai Art Museum was an art museum in the city of Shanghai, China. In October 2012, the museum was rebranded as the China Art Museum when it moved to the China pavilion at Expo 2010 on the former Shanghai Expo 2010 lands. The Shanghai Art Museum building is the former clubhouse building of the Shanghai Race Club. It sits on the western edge of People's Park, north of People's Square, which was once the Shanghai race course. The Shanghai Art Museum was the original home of the Shanghai Biennale.
Qiandao Lake
Tourist attraction
Qiandao Lake, a man-made lake located in Chun'an County, Zhejiang, China, formed after the completion of the Xin'an River hydroelectric station in 1959. 1,078 large islands dot the lake and a few thousand smaller ones are scattered across it. The lake covers an area of 573 km² and has a storage capacity of 17.8 km³. The islands in the lake cover about 86 km². Qiandao Lake, known for its clear, and sometimes drinkable water, is used to produce the renowned Nongfu Spring brand of mineral water. It is also home to lush forests, and exotic islands. Its more popular attractions include Bird Island, Snake Island, Monkey Island, Lock Island, and the Island to Remind You of Your Childhood. The lake gives Zhejiang an important tourist attraction. Newer housing developments have sprung up since the late 1990s at a reasonable cost to buyers looking for lakeside residences. The dam creating the lake is located at 29°29′01″N 119°12′48″E / 29.48361°N 119.21333°E and is 105 m tall with a crest length of 466.5 m. Xin'an Dam was the first dam constructed in China with a height greater than 100 m and its power plant has an installed capacity of 845 MW.
Po Lin Monastery
Tourist attraction
Po Lin Monastery is a Buddhist monastery, located on Ngong Ping Plateau, on Lantau Island, Hong Kong. The monastery was founded in 1906 by three monks visiting from Jiangsu and was initially known simply as "The Big Hut". It was renamed to its present name in 1924. The main temple houses three bronze statues of the Buddha – representing his past, present and future lives – as well as many Buddhist scriptures. Tian Tan Buddha, a giant Buddha statue completed in 1993, is an extension of the monastery. The Ngong Ping 360, consisting of the Ngong Ping village and a gondola lift running between Tung Chung and Ngong Ping, was built near to the Po Lin Monastery.The monastery has boasting many prominent architectural structures, such as the Main Shrine Hall of Buddha, the Hall of Bodhisattva Skanda. This monastery is also famous for making wooden bracelets that are only sold near the Tian Tan Buddha statue. In 1918, three nuns ordained at this monastery established a private nunnery called Chi Chuk Lam on Lantau's Lower Keung Hill. The nunnery, dedicated to Guanyin. There were about 20 jushi and nuns residing there in the 1950s, but now only an elderly abbess remains.
Shamian Island
Tourist attraction
Shamian Island, formerly known as Shameen Island or Shamin Island, from its Cantonese pronunciation, is a sandbank island in the Liwan District of Guangzhou city, Guangdong province, China. The island's name literally means "sandy surface" in Chinese. The territory was divided into two concessions given to France and the United Kingdom by the Qing government in the 19th century. The island is a gazetted historical area that serves as a tranquil reminder of the colonial European period, with quiet pedestrian avenues flanked by trees and lined by historical buildings in various states of upkeep. The island is the location of several hotels, a youth hostel, restaurants and tourist shops selling curios and souvenirs.
Beijing Shijingshan Amusement Park
Amusement Park
Beijing Shijingshan Amusement Park is a theme park located in the Shijingshan District of Beijing, China. The park, first opened on September 28, 1986, is currently owned and operated by the Shijingshan District government. The park is accessible via the Line 1 of the Beijing Subway. It has its own stop called Bajiao Amusement Park Station.
Gulou and Zhonglou
Tourist attraction
Gulou, the drum tower of Beijing, is situated at the northern end of the central axis of the Inner City to the north of Di'anmen Street. Originally built for musical reasons, it was later used to announce the time and is now a tourist attraction. Zhonglou, the bell tower of Beijing, stands closely behind the drum tower. Together with the drum tower, they provide an overview of central Beijing and before the modern era, they both dominated Beijing's ancient skyline.
Famen Temple
Buddhist Place of Worship
Famen Temple is located in Famen town, Fufeng County, 120 kilometers west of Xi'an City, Shaanxi province. It was widely regarded as the "ancestor of pagoda temples in Guanzhong area".
Longhua Temple
Buddhist Place of Worship
The Longhua Temple is a Buddhist Temple dedicated to the Maitreya Buddha located in Shanghai, China. Although most of the present-day buildings date from later reconstructions, the temple preserves the architectural design of a Song Dynasty monastery of the Chan School. It is the largest, most authentic and complete ancient temple complex in the city of Shanghai.
Ten Thousand Buddhas Monastery
Tourist attraction
Ten Thousand Buddhas Monastery is a Buddhist temple in Sha Tin, Hong Kong. It is located at 220 Pai Tau Village, Sha Tin. It is not an actual monastery as there are no resident monks and is managed by laypersons. It was built by Yuet Kai, a devout Buddhist layman who dedicated the last years of his life to constructing an elaborate temple containing nearly 13,000 statues of Buddha. The main journey up to the monastery is an attraction itself, as the path is lined on both sides with golden Buddhas, each unique and in different poses. Video: Journey to Ten Thousand Buddhas Monastery
Shanghai Disneyland Park
Amusement Park
Shanghai Disneyland is an upcoming theme park which is to be built as part of the Shanghai Disney Resort. It is expected to open in December 2015 and will be owned and operated through a joint venture between The Walt Disney Company and the Shanghai Shendi Group. Construction began on April 8, 2011.
Huaisheng Mosque
Islamic Place of Worship
The Huaisheng Mosque, also known as the Lighthouse Mosque, is the main mosque of Guangzhou. Rebuilt many times over its history, it is traditionally thought to have been originally built over 1,300 years ago, which would make it one of the oldest mosques in the world. It was named in memory of the Muslim prophet Muhammad. The most unusual feature of the mosque is its "calling tower". The round tower is 36 meters tall with a pointed tip. The minaret may have served as a beacon for boats, which may explain its name. Guangta may also be translated as "Smooth Tower", referring to the unadorned surface of the minaret. From the tower, the mosque itself got its alternative name. Somewhat similar "minimalist" minarets can be seen outside of China, e.g. at the Khan's Mosque in Kasimov, Russia. The other name, Huaisheng Mosque, means "Cherishing the Sacred" or "Cherishing the Sage", presumably referring to Muhammad. This name has been Romanized in various ways, such as Hwai Sun Su Mosque, Huai-Sheng Mosque, Huai-Shang Mosque, and Huai-Shang Si Mosque. The mosque is also referred to as the Great Mosque of Canton, and as Ying Tong Mosque.
Shanghai Ocean Aquarium
Tourist attraction
The Shanghai Ocean Aquarium is a public aquarium located in Shanghai, China. Designed by Advanced Aquarium Technologies, the aquarium includes a 120-meter tunnel that takes visitors through a coastal reef, open ocean, a kelp cave, shark cove, and a coral reef, and is one of the longest such tunnels in the world. It is home to an Oranda goldfish named Bruce after Bruce Lee which measures 17.129 inches in length.
Shanghai Science and Technology Museum
Museum
Shanghai Science and Technology Museum is a large museum in Pudong, Shanghai, close to Century Park, the largest park within the inner districts of the city. The museum covers an area of 68,000 square metres, a floor space of 98,000 square metres and an exhibition space of 65,500 square metres with planned visiting flow of 2,000,000 to 3,000,000 visitors per year and investment of RMB 1.755 billion Yuan. As of July 2010 the museum will have attracted over 23,000,000 visitors making it one of China's most visited modern museums. Shanghai Science & Technology Museum opened to the public on December 18, 2001. The original design of the museum and its core exhibits was managed by Shanghai based high tech and multimedia firm Creative Star Digital. The construction of the museum cost 3.75 billion RMB, and now features over 14 interactive multimedia exhibits open to the public.
Houhai
Tourist attraction
Houhai refers to a lake and its surrounding neighborhood in Xicheng District of central Beijing. Houhai is the largest of the three lakes, along with Qianhai and Xihai, that comprise Shichahai, the collective name for the three northern-most lakes in central Beijing. Since the early 2000s, the hutong neighborhood around Houhai has become known for its nightlife as many residences along the lake shore have been converted into restaurants, bars, and cafes. The area is especially popular with foreign tourists visiting Beijing and is also often visited by the expatriate community and the younger generations of locals. The Former Residence of Soong Ching-ling and Prince Gong Mansion are both located in the Houhai neighborhood.
Wonderland Amusement Park
Amusement Park
Wonderland was an abandoned amusement park construction project located in Chenzhuang Village, Nankou Town, Changping District, People's Republic of China, about 20 miles outside of Beijing. Originally proposed by the Thailand based property developer Reignwood Group, and designed to be the largest amusement park in Asia, construction stopped in 1998 following financial problems with local officials, while a 2008 attempt to start construction again also failed. The site, which featured a number of abandoned structures, including the frame work of a castle-like building and medieval-themed outer buildings, was being reclaimed by local farmers to grow their various crops while the site was abandoned. People have reported that sometimes when visiting the site, there would still be parking attendants in the site's parking lot, presumably to tend to onlookers and curious sightseers that came to visit. The abandonment of such a massive construction project has raised concerns about the existence of a property bubble in China. The uncompleted and abandoned structures were razed in May 2013, leaving no hope for the abandoned park to ever be finished. While there is no official indication of what will be done with the grounds of where the park once stood, An Feng, Reignwood Group's chief inspector for the company's investment supervision department, has stated a "comprehensive luxury product supermarket" would be built on the site, but that the project was still going through "planning permission formalities".
Hong Kong Museum of Coastal Defence
History Museum
The Hong Kong Museum of Coastal Defence is a museum in Hong Kong, located in a former coastal defence fort overlooking the Lei Yue Mun channel, near Shau Kei Wan on Hong Kong Island. The fort was built by the British in 1887, intended to defend the eastern approaches to Victoria Harbour. The total area of the museum is 34,200 square metres. An exhibition entitled "600 years of Coastal Defence" is held permanently in the museum, which tells the story of the defence of the Hong Kong coastline from the time of the Ming Dynasty, through the First and Second Opium Wars and the Battle of Hong Kong, through to today.
Beijing Botanical Garden
Tourist attraction
The Beijing Botanical Garden is a botanical garden situated in the northwestern outskirts of Beijing, China between Xiangshan Park and Jade Spring Mountain in the Western Hills.
Beijing Ancient Observatory
Tourist attraction
The Beijing Ancient Observatory is a pretelescopic observatory located in Beijing, China. The observatory was built in 1442 during the Ming Dynasty, and expanded during the Qing. As one of the oldest observatories in the world, the Beijing Ancient Observatory grounds cover an area of 10,000 square meters. The observatory itself is located on a 40 by 40 wide meter on a 15 meter tall brick tower, an extant portion of the old Ming Dynasty era city wall that once encircled Beijing. Several of the bronze astronomical instruments are on the platform, and other armillary spheres, sundials, and other instruments are located nearby at ground level. It is operated as a museum in affiliation with the Beijing Planetarium.
Ming Xiaoling Mausoleum
Tourist attraction
The Ming Xiaoling Mausoleum is the tomb of the Hongwu Emperor, the founder of the Ming Dynasty. It lies at the southern foot of Purple Mountain, located east of the historical centre of Nanjing, China. Legend says that in order to prevent robbery of the tomb, 13 identical processions of funeral troops started from 13 city gates to obscure the real burying site. The construction of the mausoleum began during the Hongwu Emperor's life in 1381 and ended in 1405, during the reign of his son the Yongle Emperor, with a huge expenditure of resources involving 100,000 labourers. The original wall of the mausoleum was more than 22.5 kilometres long. The mausoleum was built under heavy guard of 5,000 troops.
Stele Forest
Museum
The Stele Forest, or Xi'an Beilin Museum, is a museum for steles and stone sculptures which is located in Xi'an, China. Founded in 1944, it was the principal museum for Shaanxi province on the site of what was formerly an 11th-century Confucius Temple. Then because of the large number of steles, it was officially renamed as the Forest of Stone Steles in 1992. All together, there are 3,000 steles in the museum, which is divided into seven exhibitions halls, which mainly display works of calligraphy, painting and historical records.
Prince Gong Mansion
Tourist attraction
The Prince Gong Mansion is located in the western part of central Beijing, China, north of the Shichahai Lake. Consisting of large mansions in the typical siheyuan layout and gardens, the Prince Gong Mansion is known as one of the most ornate and extravagant residence compounds in all of Beijing. It is now a museum.
Fragrant Hills Park
Tourist attraction
Fragrant Hills Park is an imperial garden at the foot of the Western Mountains in the Haidian District, in the northwestern part of Beijing, China. It was also formerly known as Jingyi Palace or "Jingyiyuan". It covers 1.6 km² and consists of a natural pine-cypress forest, hills with maple trees, smoke trees and persimmon trees, as well as landscaped areas with traditional architecture and cultural relics. The name derives from the park's highest peak, Xianglu Feng, a 557 meters hill with two large stones resembling incense burners at the top.
A-Ma Temple
Tourist attraction
A-Ma Temple, situated on the southwest tip of the Macau Peninsula, is one of the oldest and most famous Taoist temples in Macau. Built in 1488, the temple is dedicated to Matsu, the goddess of seafarers and fishermen. The name Macau is thought to be derived from the name of the temple. It is said that when the Portuguese sailors landed at the coast just outside the temple and asked the name of the place, the natives replied "媽閣". The Portuguese then named the peninsula "Macao". The temple was well described in ancient Chinese texts, as well as represented in paintings, related to Macao. It is also one of the first scenes photographed in Macao. In 2005, the temple became one of the designated sites of the Historic Centre of Macau enlisted on UNESCO World Heritage List. ⁕ Outside A-Ma Temple. ⁕ The building in the temple. ⁕ Boat model inside A-ma Temple, Macao. ⁕ The main hall of A-Ma Temple. ⁕ World Heritage marker ⁕ A tree surrounded by prayer cards inside A-Ma Temple
Shaanxi History Museum
History Museum
Shaanxi History Museum, which is located to the northwest of the Giant Wild Goose Pagoda in the ancient city Xi'an, in the Shaanxi province of China, is one of the first huge state museums with modern facilities in China. The museum houses over 370,000 items, including murals, paintings, pottery, coins, as well as bronze, gold, and silver objects. The modern museum was built between 1983 and 2001 and its appearance recalls the architectural style of the Tang Dynasty.
Hanshan Temple
Buddhist Place of Worship
Hanshan Temple; literally "Cold Mountain Temple", is a Buddhist temple and monastery in Suzhou, China. It is located at the town of Fengqiao, about 5 kilometres west of the old city of Suzhou. Traditionally, Hanshan Temple is believed to have been founded during the Tianjian era of the reign of Emperor Wu of Liang, in the Southern and Northern Dynasties period. The current name of the monastery derives from Hanshan, the legendary monk and poet. Hanshan and his disciple Shide are said to have come to the monastery during the reign of Emperor Taizong of Tang, where Hanshan became the abbot.
Nanjing Museum
Museum
The Nanjing Museum is located in Nanjing, Jiangsu Province, China. With an area of 70,000 square metres, it is one of the largest museums in China. The museum currently has over 400,000 items in its permanent collection, making it one of the largest in China. Especially notable is the museum's enormous collections of Ming and Qing imperial porcelain, which is among the largest in the world.
Small Wild Goose Pagoda
Buddhist Place of Worship
The Small Wild Goose Pagoda, sometimes Little Wild Goose Pagoda, is one of two significant pagodas in the city of Xi'an, China, the site of the old Han and Tang capital Chang'an. The other notable pagoda is the Giant Wild Goose Pagoda, originally built in 652 and restored in 704. The Small Wild Goose Pagoda was built between 707–709, during the Tang Dynasty under Emperor Zhongzong of Tang. The pagoda stood 45 m until the 1556 Shaanxi earthquake. The earthquake shook the pagoda and damaged it so that it now stands at a height of 43 m with fifteen levels of tiers. The pagoda has a brick frame built around a hollow interior, and its square base and shape reflect the building style of other pagodas from the era. During the Tang Dynasty, the Small Wild Goose Pagoda stood across a street from its mother temple, the Dajianfu Temple. Pilgrims brought sacred Buddhist writings to the temple and pagoda from India, as the temple was one of the main centers in Chang'an for translating Buddhist texts. The temple was older than the pagoda, since it was founded in 684, exactly 100 days after the death of Emperor Gaozong of Tang. Emperor Zhongzong had donated his residence to the building of a new temple here, maintaining the temple for 200 monks in honor of his deceased father Gaozong. The temple was originally called the Daxianfusi or Great Monastery of Offered Blessings by Zhongzong, until it was renamed Dajianfusi by Empress Wu Zetian in 690.
Leifeng Pagoda
Tourist attraction
Leifeng Pagoda is a five storey tall tower with eight sides, located on Sunset Hill south of West Lake in Hangzhou. Originally constructed in the year AD 975, it collapsed in 1924 but was rebuilt in 2002, since then it has been a popular tourist attraction.
Lingering Garden
Tourist attraction
Lingering Garden is a renowned classical Chinese garden. It is located at 338 Liuyuan Rd. Suzhou, Jiangsu province, China. It is recognized with other classical Suzhou gardens as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. In 1997, the garden, along with other classical gardens in Suzhou, was recorded by UNESCO as a World Heritage Site. The garden also stores two UNESCO Intangible World Heritage Arts; Pingtan and Guqin music.
Xixi National Wetland Park
Tourist attraction
Xixi National Wetland Park is the first and only national wetland park in China, located at the west part of Hangzhou, Zhejiang province, a total of 1,150 hectares. The park is densely crisscrossed with six main watercourses, among which scatter various ponds, lakes and swamps. XiXi Wetland has a history of more than 1,800 years and an abundant cultural heritage. It’s the original site of Chinese South Opera; it has a traditional Dragon Boat Contest; it contains the vivid life of a water village, featuring silkworm feeding and silk production.
Temple of the Six Banyan Trees
Buddhist Place of Worship
The Temple of the Six Banyan Trees is an ancient Buddhist temple originally built in 537 in the Liang Dynasty in Guangzhou, southern China. The temple's proximity to foreign consulates in Guangzhou has made it a regular destination for families participating in the international adoption of children from China. Typically families receive blessings for their newly adopted children at this temple in front of the statue of Kuan Yin.
Tianjin Olympic Center Stadium
Olympic venue
The Tianjin Olympic Center Stadium, often colloquially referred to as the Water Drop, is a stadium in Tianjin, China. Construction started in August 2003 and was completed in August 2007. The stadium hosted games for the 2007 FIFA Women's World Cup and Football preliminaries at the 2008 Summer Olympics. It covers 78,000 square meters and has a capacity of 60,000. It as a length of 380 meters, a width of 270 meters, and a height of 53 meters. The stadium is nicknamed "The Water Drop" because the outside of the venue was designed to resemble a drop of water. The stadium cost nearly 1,500,000,000 Yuan to build. The architects were AXS Satow. The stadium houses sports facilities, exhibition halls, conference rooms and gyms. It also has the capacity for entertainment and shopping complexes.
Collections of the Palace Museum
Museum
The art collections of the Palace Museum, a national museum housed in the Forbidden City in Beijing, China, are built upon the imperial collection of the Ming and Qing dynasties. This collection was expanded in the 20th century with new acquisitions, transfers from other museums, and new archaeological discoveries.
Presidential Palace
Museum
The Presidential Palace in Nanjing, China, housed the Office of the President of the Republic of China before the republic relocated to Taiwan in 1949. It is now a museum, the China Modern History Museum. It is located at 292 Changjiang Road, in the Xuanwu District of Nanjing.
Chinese Culture and Movie Center
Tourist attraction
The Chinese Culture and Movie Center is a former movie studio and tourist attraction located in the Shilin District of Taipei, Taiwan. It is owned by the Republic of China Central Motion Pictures Company. In its early period, it functioned as a film and TV drama filming location and studio. After the Republic of China government lifted martial law, many of the TV dramas and movies produced by the Center began filming in Hong Kong and mainland China. The Chinese Culture and Movie Center closed indefinitely in 2008.
China Dinosaurs Park
Amusement Park
China Dinosaurs Park, also called China Dinosaurs Land is a theme park located in Changzhou, Jiangsu, China. It has been open since September, 2000. The park covers more than 600 mu. As it is a theme park about dinosaurs, it is also called the "Eastern Jurassic Park". The museum contains a nearly complete fossil skeleton of the important dinosaur genus Sinosauropteryx as well as large fossils such as those of a Brachiosaurus and a Hadrosaurus. Changzhou Travel and Tourism Administration regards China Dinosaur Park as the most amusing base for science education. The park focuses on creating a harmonious ecological environment. There are 70 different kinds of trees and more than 4,000 plants in the park. The afforested areas comprise 70 percent of the total area. There are nearly twenty kinds of amusements for tourists to enjoy themselves. The symbolic building in the park is the museum of dinosaurs. The museum covers about 20,000 square meters, and contains more than ten halls, including "Evolution Hall" and "Woods Hall". The first floor of the museum is taken up by the skeleton of a dinosaur. You can also see many kinds of fossils of dinosaurs in the museum. In addition, there are a lot of amusing high-fidelity game facilities. All the games are related to dinosaurs, such as "Pterodactyl's movement" and "Hot dance of the dinosaur car". Another attractive place in the park is the hot spring pool. Every year there is a big festival in the park called International Lantern Festival. During this festival, there are many fireworks and beautiful lanterns in the park. If there is any festival approaching, Changzhou China Dinosaur Park will also show all of the tourists a big parade. In the music of the fantastic parade, many people dressed in cartoon costumes dance and sing together. The parade sometimes shows the classic scene in some cartoon films or some computer games, such as 'baby dinosaur'.
Wuhan Yangtze River Bridge
Bridge
The Wuhan Yangtze Great Bridge, commonly known as Wuhan First Yangtze Bridge, is a double-deck road and rail bridge across the Yangtze River in Wuhan, in Central China. At its completion in 1957, the bridge was the easternmost crossing of the Yangtze, and was often referred to as the "First Bridge of the Yangtze". The bridge extends 1.6 kilometers from Turtle Hill in Hanyang, on the northern bank of the Yangtze, to Snake Hill in Wuchang, on the southern bank of the Yangtze. Plans for the bridge's construction were first made in 1910. A total of four exploratory surveys were made between 1913 and 1948 to identify a suitable site, but economic limitations and the combination of World War II and the Chinese Civil War prevented the bridge's building until the 1950s. Actual construction began in September 1955 and was completed in October 1957. The upper level of the bridge is a two-way, four-lane automobile highway. The lower level is a double-track railway on the Beijing-Guangzhou railway line.
Museum of Macau
History Museum
The Macau Museum is on the hill of the Fortaleza do Monte, a 16th-century fort in Macau. The museum presents the history of the city and territory of the former Portuguese colony of Macau, now a Special Administrative Region of the People's Republic of China. Planning for the museum started in April 1995, its construction began in September 1996. The museum was inaugurated on 18 April 1998. The museum building is located within the interior of the Fortaleza do Monte. Its total size is about 2,800 m², with around 2,100 m² of exhibition space.
Saint Sophia Cathedral in Harbin
Museum
The Cathedral of the Holy Wisdom of God or Saint Sophia Cathedral in Harbin is a former Russian Orthodox church located in the central district of Daoli, Harbin City, Heilongjiang Province, China.
Wanshou Temple
Tourist attraction
The Wanshou Temple is a temple located at the Suzhou Jie in Beijing. In addition to being a Buddhist temple, the Wanshou Temple also houses the Beijing Art Museum. It was built in 1577 during the Wanli era of the Ming Dynasty to store Chinese Buddhist scriptures; it also later became a permanent celebration place for the imperial families of the Ming and Qing dynasties. The Wanshou Temple was known as one of Beijing's most important temples, and it was declared as one of Beijing's "Key Cultural Heritage of Preservation" in August 1979. The Beijing Art Museum housed in the Wanshou Temple has also collected and preserved precious historical relics such as bronze and jade articles of Shang and Zhou Dynasties, and ancient art treasures such as porcelains, earthenwares, enamels, carved lacquer ware, ivory carving, wood carving, and many relics from past dynasties; it has a permanent collection of 70,000 items. Among the most important items displayed in the museum includes Chinese paintings and calligraphies from the Ming and Qing Dynasties since 1368 A.D, Chinese weavings and embroideries of Ming and Qing Dynasties, and ancient coins of China and foreign countries. Modern Chinese, Japanese and other Asian arts and crafts and paintings are also displayed in the museum.
Qingdao International Sailing Centre
Olympic venue
The Qingdao International Sailing Centre is a sailing marina located on the former site of the Beihai Shipyard by Qingdao's Fushan Bay at Shandong Province in China. It was constructed for the 2008 Summer Olympics. It hosted the Olympic and Paralympic Sailing competitions. Wind conditions vary greatly from very light winds to +15knots. During the Olympic competitions, fog was also an occasional factor. The venue hosted “Good Luck Beijing - 2006" and in May 2008, the IFDS Qingdao International Regatta, where Olympic and Paralympic sailors got a headstart on familiarizing themselves with the venue and weather conditions. Access from the Qingdao Paralympic Village to the dock, work areas, etc. was provided by numerous golf carts making endless daytime rounds. Both ends of the work area had 2 cranes apiece, which could lift large keelboats like the Sonar from cradles and lower these into the water. At night, a laser light show from the main breakwater lighthouse would play from early evening to midnight. Facing the Yellow Sea, the main breakwater with spectator seating, windmills, flags and lighthouse was also the viewing area for the sailing competitions when not on the spectator ferry. Across the bay, the famous May 4th monument and Qingdao's landmark seaside building are easily visible.
Sok Kwu Wan
Body Of Water
Sok Kwu Wan or Picnic Bay is a bay in the Middle East coast of Lamma Island, Hong Kong. A fishing town of the same name, Sok Kwu Wan, in the bay has a cluster of seafood restaurants near the ferry pier. There is a Tin Hau Temple in Sok Kwu Wan.