The Great wall
The Great Wall, located in northern China, is 6,700 kilometers long and thus known as the "10,000-li Great Wall". Construction of the wall went on for more than 2,000 years, from 7 th century to 14 th century AD. The wall has become a symbol of both China's proud historyand its present strength.
The Summer Palace of Beijing
The Summer Palace, featuring the best of China's ancient gardens, is located in the western suburbs of Beijing. The palace was built in 1153 as a temporary imperial palace. It was rebuilt in 1888. The Summer Palace consists of the Longevity Hill and the Kunming Lake. The Long Corridor, painted with exquisite paintings, was included in the Guinness Book of World Records in 1992 as the longest corridor in the world. The corridor links the area where Empress Dowager Cixi handled state affairs with the residential and sightseeing areas.
The Temple of Heaven of Beijing
The Temple of Heaven, built in 1420, is located in southern Beijing. During the Ming and Qing Dynasties, emperors came to the temple to worship the God of Heavenand pray for a good harvest.
The Palace Museum
The Palace Museum, also called the Forbidden City, is located in the center of Beijing. The imperial palace used by emperors of the Ming and Qing Dynasties is the largest and most complete ancient wooden-structure building complex in the world. Construction of the Forbidden City started in 1406 and lasted 14 years. 24 emperors were enthroned there.
Qinshihuang's Mausoleum and Terra-cotta Army
Qinshihuang's Mausoleum is located in Lintong District, 35 kilometers east of Xi'an, capital of Shaanxi Province. Construction ofthe mausoleum lasted 38 years and involved over 700,000 workers. Over the years, a total of 50,000 important cultural relics have been unearthed. In 1980, two bronze painted horse-drawn chariots were unearthed. They are the largest and most complete bronze chariots and horses discovered so far. In 1974, farmers who were digging a well about 1.5 kilometers east of Qinshihuang's Mausoleum discovered three vaults containing Qinshihuang's Buried Legion. The largest of the three vaults contains 6,000 life-size terra-cotta warriors and horses. The collection of warriors is often dubbed the"eighthwonder of the world".
The Mogao Grottoes at Dunhuang
Dunhuang Grottoes comprise of the Mogao grottoes, West 1,000-Buddha Cave, and Yulin Cave. The Mogao Grottoes, representative of the three sites, are located 25 kilometers southwest of Dunhuang City, Gansu Province. Construction of the grottoes began in 366 AD. The well-designed grottoes are a treasure house containing painting, sculptures, documents, and cultural relics.
The Huangshan Mountain
Located in Huangshan City in southern Anhui Province, the scenic area of the Huangshan Mountain covers 154 square kilometers and is famous for its four wonders: strangely-shaped pines, grotesque rock formations, seas of clouds and hot springs. It also features a natural zoo and botanical garden.
Huanglong
The Huanglong Scenic Area is located in Songpan County, Sichuan Province. Calcified ponds, beaches, waterfalls and embankments characterize Huanglong scenery.
Potala Palace
Palace in Lhasa is situated on Red Hill 3,700 meters above the sea level. The palace was built by Tibetan King Songtsan Gambo in the 7 th century for Tang Princess Wencheng. Potala features the essence of ancient Tibetan architectural art and houses many artifacts of the Tubo Kingdom.
The Lushan Mountain
The Lushan Mountain, located south of Jiujiang City, Jiangxi Province, is one of the most famous mountains in China. The mountain features beautiful peaks, seas of clouds, waterfalls and historical sites. Bailu Academy is one of Chinese first schools of higher learning.
Lijiang Ancient City
Lijiang ancient city, located in Lijiang, Yunnan Province, is an ancient town inhabited mainly by the Naxi minority people. The town was founded in 1127. The roads in the town are paved with colored pebbles produced in Lijiang, and there are many stone bridges and memorial archways built during the Ming and Qing Dynasties. Most of the residences are made of earth and wood. Palace murals depicting religious themes were painted during the Ming Dynasty. The traditional Dongba Culture of the Naxi ethnic group has been preserved in Lijiang.
Pingyao Ancient City
Pingyao of Shanxi Province was built 2,000 years ago during the Zhou Dynasty. The city wall was renovated in 1370. It is one of China's earliest and largest county-level city walls. Ancient streets, government offices, markets, stores and residences have been preserved, providing invaluable resources for research on China's ancient Ming Dynasty county seat.
Suzhou Gardens
Suzhou in Jiangsu Province is a famous historic and cultural city that is more than 2,500 years old. Suzhou features more than 200 ancient gardens. The small private gardens are especially famous nationwide and reflect architectural styles of the Song, Yuan, Ming and Qing Dynasties.