Sights of China: what to see and what places to visit | Guide Club

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China is a huge country with diverse landscapes. There are many natural wonders here that cannot be found anywhere else. And in addition to them, there are evidences of the rich history and culture of this country. It is impossible to list everything that a tourist can see in China: there are many thousands of attractions. In the cities there are ancient palaces and temples, in nature there are emerald mountains, waterfalls and rice terraces, as if painted by an artist’s brush. You can get incredible impressions in any region.

We have compiled the top of the best tourist places in China — the most famous, beautiful and interesting. It has monuments of the glorious past and incredible natural landscapes. Check out this list and plan what to visit first during your China tour.

The Forbidden City in Beijing

Hidden behind 8-meter-high fortress walls, the Forbidden City in Beijing is among the top most famous attractions in China. More than 16 million people visit it every year. The best collection of historical architecture in the country is concentrated in this place. There is no longer such an extensive and well-preserved complex of ancient wooden buildings in the whole world.

The Forbidden City was founded as the residence of the emperor and the nobility during the Ming Dynasty, it was built from 1406 to 1420. The huge complex includes about 900 structures that have been used for their intended purpose for more than 500 years. Since the 20th century, the Forbidden City has become a carefully protected monument and a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

It is better to take the whole day for an excursion to the Forbidden City. Among the palaces, three are of the greatest interest: The Hall of Supreme Harmony, the Hall of Complete Harmony and the Hall of Preservation of Harmony. All three have imperial thrones. Also, you should not miss the museum opened in one of the palaces with a rich collection of works of art, calligraphy, jewelry, ceramics, jade and bronze products. Outside, you can walk around the large square, which is crossed by the Golden Water River. There are five marble bridges spanning it.

Tiananmen Square

The square located opposite the Forbidden City is called the heart of China. In terms of size, it is one of the ten largest squares in the world. By the way, the two largest squares are also located in China: These are Times Square in Daqing and Xinghai in Dalian.

Spectacular official events are often held in Tiananmen Square, because it can accommodate a million people. Beijing residents come here on weekends to walk and fly kites. Tourists gather from all over the world to take pictures against the backdrop of grandiose sights. The main one is the Tiananmen Gate leading to the Forbidden City (the Gate of Heavenly Tranquility), built in the XV century. Other attractions relate to the history of modern China. These are the mausoleum of Mao Zedong with a classical colonnade, a huge People’s Assembly House, a futuristic opera house and the National Museum of China.

Since Tiananmen Square is one of the most important attractions in China, there are always a lot of tourists here. It is better to come here in the early hours. You will probably be interested to see the daily ceremony of raising the national flag. It is better to specify her time in advance.

The Temple of Heaven

One of the main tourist attractions of the capital of China is the Temple of Heaven, which was built from 1420 to 1530. The area of this complex is several times larger than the Forbidden City, although it was rarely used. On the winter solstice, the emperors of the Ming and Qing dynasties held ceremonies here to worship the gods and offered prayers for a new harvest. But the emperor was considered the son of Heaven, and his earthly home should not have been larger than the heavenly one.

The Temple of Heaven is one of the most complex and thoughtful architectural structures in China. All its elements are imbued with symbolism. For example, the square—shaped wall surrounding the complex symbolizes the earth, and the round roofs with blue tiles represent the sky. The three-tiered roof of the main temple is supported by 28 columns. The four of them in the center symbolize the seasons. Two rows of 12 columns mean 12 months of the year and 12 hours a day (in Ancient China, the day was divided into 12, not 24 hours). Together, the 28 columns correspond to the 28 constellations of the Chinese lunar zodiac.

A good time to visit the Temple of Heaven is the middle of April, when the lilacs are in bloom. But you can come here in any season. From spring to autumn, you can see a beautiful garden, and in winter there are fewer tourists around, which makes it possible to focus on the unique architecture.

Qin Shi Huang Mausoleum with Terracotta Army

About 2,200 years ago, a mausoleum of grandiose dimensions was built for the first Chinese emperor, who united the disparate kingdoms. The underground palace alone is about a quarter the size of the Forbidden City in Beijing. In those days, it was customary to bury with the deceased everything that he would need in the afterlife. A whole semblance of the capital of the Qin Xianyang Empire was built for Qin Shi Huang. From above, all this was covered with an earthen embankment. The burial site itself was a mound in the form of a truncated pyramid with a height of 76 m. Over time, it became overgrown with forest and began to look like a natural hill. Since the burial place of the first emperor was forgotten, it did not occur to anyone that the huge hill was a man-made structure.

In 1974, farmers in the suburbs of Xi’an began to dig a well and accidentally made an incredible discovery. Thanks to them, an army of 8,000 terracotta infantry, archers and horsemen was found. Later, statues of dancers and acrobats were also discovered. In addition to people, this army includes 520 clay horses and 100 chariots. The army turned out to be part of the Qin Shi Huang burial complex, although the distance from the terracotta garrison to the tomb is about 1.5 km. Clay soldiers were created in full height with a high degree of detail. Each figure has an individual appearance: its own hairstyle, clothes, weapons and facial features. These features indicate that the soldiers were created in different regions of China and the sculptors most likely depicted real people.

The mausoleum of Qin Shi Huang has not been studied much yet. Excavations are carried out slowly to minimize the risk of damage to artifacts. But the already excavated terracotta army has become one of the best attractions in China. This is a place that you must definitely visit when you find yourself in the Middle Kingdom.

Shaolin Monastery

The Shaolin Buddhist Monastery and the martial arts that are studied there are known far beyond the borders of China. This is one of the most interesting sights of the country. Fans of Van Damme films and anyone who loves traditional architecture surrounded by beautiful landscapes should visit here.

Shaolin Monastery was founded in the 5th century AD and immediately became a major center of Buddhism. For many centuries, the monks practiced meditation and studied philosophy here, and the Shaolin Kung Fu system gradually developed from their spiritual practices. To see the beauty of this place, it is better to come for the whole day. Then you can take your time to explore all the buildings decorated with stone carvings and the treasures of the museum. Also, you can not miss the half-hour performance of the Shaolin monks, it is held several times a day. Then you can take a lesson at the Shaolin Temple Kung Fu Academy or at one of the private martial arts schools. Instead of a lesson, you can get acquainted with other sights of Songshan Mountain, which is considered sacred in Taoism.

The Great Wall of China

China’s most famous landmark and the most popular place to visit in the country is the Great Wall of China. This is a real miracle of ancient architecture, the length of the structure exceeds 20,000 km with all branches. The oldest preserved sites date back to the 3rd century BC. At first they were separate fortifications, then they joined into one continuous wall. Later, it was regularly completed, expanded and updated over the centuries.

Since the Great Wall stretches across 15 provinces of China, there are many places to go to see this structure. You can do this repeatedly, because the wall is different everywhere. In some places, its height is 6-8 m, in others – 16. Some parts are well restored, others have been badly damaged by time and merge with the surrounding rocks. Several popular hiking trails along the Great Wall pass close to Beijing.

Xuankong Si Temple Complex

Founded at the end of the 5th century, a monastery in Shanxi Province hangs over a precipice, as if clinging to a rock and violating the laws of gravity. Its name Xuankong is translated as: “The Hanging Monastery”. Looking at it now, it is difficult to understand how the masters of antiquity managed to build such a structure without modern technology. They cut holes in the rock and installed wooden piles in them, which support part of the halls and pavilions. The monastery was raised to such a height in order to avoid floods during the violent floods of the nearby river.

The complex has another interesting feature. It is dedicated to three religious teachings at once: Buddhism, Taoism and Confucianism. There is nothing else like it in China. Each religion has its own halls with appropriate decorations and furnishings.

Xuankong si Monastery belongs to the sights of China, which are worth visiting for lovers of beautiful nature. The rock on which it is built is located in the protected area of the sacred Hengshan Mountain. Although the tour of the monastery does not take much time, you can come here for the whole day for active recreation in the vicinity of the building.

Longmyn Cave Temples

Not far from Luoyang in Henan Province, there are mountains Xianshan and Longmenshan separated by the river. They form a gorge, the walls of which are made of soft rocks. In the 5th century, a cave temple was built here, which over many centuries has grown into a complex of incredible size. Now it includes more than 2,300 grottoes and depressions stretching from north to south for a kilometer. About 100,000 works of art can be seen in them: These are large and small sculptures, reliefs and calligraphic inscriptions. The tallest statue of the complex is the 17—meter Vairochana Buddha. To get a good look at this figure, you don’t even have to climb into the caves. It is enough to sail by boat along the rock wall.

Mogao Caves

In Gansu Province, there is the Dunhuang Oasis surrounded by sands, which was once the gateway to China on the Great Silk Road. Buddhist teachings penetrated into China through Dunhuang, and in the IV century a temple complex appeared in the karst rocks located near the city. Officially, it is called Qianfodong, or “The Cave of a thousand Buddhas.” But the name of its main cave Mogao is more often used.

The temple complex continued to expand for almost a thousand years. Now it includes hundreds of caves and sanctuaries decorated with countless frescoes and sculptures from different eras. At the beginning of the 20th century, a huge collection of manuscripts in different languages was found here, about 20,000 manuscripts in total.

Mogao caves were abandoned in the 13th century, when the territory was conquered by Muslims. But in the 19th century, the complex was discovered again, and in 1987 it was included in the UNESCO World Heritage List. Now Mogao Caves are one of the places in China that are worth visiting to explore Buddhist culture and art.

The Potala Palace

The highest palace in the world is located in the mountains of Tibet at an altitude of 3,700 meters above sea level. In the past, it was a well-protected residence of the Dalai Lama and the Tibetan government, and now it is a state museum and a famous landmark of the People’s Republic of China. So that everyone can see it, you can stay inside for no more than an hour. But in the tourist season from May to October, it is still better to book tickets in advance.

The first building on the site of the Potala Palace was built in the VII century, but as a result of fire and further desolation it was destroyed. Now the Red and White palaces of the XVII century form the basis of the complex. They are surrounded by a well-kept garden with lakes, bridges and pavilions.

Honghe Hani Rice Terraces

Two millennia ago, the Han, one of the small peoples of China, settled on the banks of the Hongha River in Yunnan Province. The place they occupied is favorable for rice cultivation due to the high humidity. But among the mountainous terrain, it is difficult to find a place for fields, and precipitation is not always enough. Therefore, the Hani undertook a complex and painstaking work, transforming the surrounding landscapes century after century. This is how magnificent amphitheatres of rice terraces were created, stretching for tens of kilometers. From the outside, they resemble abstract paintings, and it’s hard to believe that the entire surrounding landscape was created by the hands of ordinary peasants.

Rice terraces include countless fields bordered by vertical and horizontal channels. There are earthen dams with sluices, and green groves. When the rainy season comes, excess water flows down the channels and does not affect the fertile land of the fields. When there is little rain, every drop is collected to water the rice. Even the fog does not go to waste: it settles on the leaves of the groves, and moisture is preserved.

The irrigation system created by Honey is extremely productive. Even in dry years, good rice harvests are harvested here, and additionally cattle, ducks and fish are bred — and so for about 1,300 years.

Nature reserves and national parks of China

What is interesting to see in China for lovers of beautiful and untouched nature? There are many different landscapes in this country: karst mountains, forests and river valleys. In total, there are five large national parks and many thousands of protected areas of different sizes on the territory of the country. Let’s tell you about the most interesting of them.

Three Parallel Rivers National Park

Not far from the rice terraces of Honghe Hani, there is an amazing place where the three largest rivers of Asia flow parallel to each other at a distance of only 20-60 km. These rivers are the Yangtze, Mekong and Salween. Their riverbeds are deep picturesque gorges, and the surrounding area is famous for its extraordinary biological diversity. There are 6,000 species of plants and a quarter of all animals known in China.

Zhangjiajie National Forest Park

Once upon a time there was a mountain range built of quartz-sand rocks at this place. Winds and rains quickly destroyed the soft sandstone, and by our time, bizarre pillars and columns with a height of more than 200 meters remained from the mountains. During fog, uneven rocks with patches of greenery seem to float in the air. Similar landscapes are recreated in the movie “Avatar”. One of the most beautiful rocks has been officially renamed “Avatar Hallelujah Mountain”.

Shilin National Park

The name Shilin means “Stone Forest” in translation. This is another natural wonder of karst origin, protected by UNESCO. The National Park covers about 400 square kilometers. It is divided into seven zones, each with its own unusual landscapes: stone labyrinths, sharp peaks, caves with grottoes, meadows, forests and lakes. You can come here for a few days, and still not have enough time to get acquainted with all the zones.

Jiuzhaigou National Park

Lovers of beautiful mountains, once in China, definitely need to look at the snowy peaks, meadows, virgin forests and colorful lakes of Jiuzhaigou Park in Sichuan Province. The idyllic landscapes here are beautiful in any season. In summer, everything blooms, in winter it is buried in fluffy snow, and in the rainy season, multi-level waterfalls become especially impressive.

Danxia Colored Mountains

Danxia Geopark is located in northwestern China, in Gansu Province. It consists of high smooth rocks painted in bright colors. Once on one of the viewing platforms of the park, you will see a bizarre game of red, yellow, green and purple spots formed by local rocks with a high metal content. This sight looks especially impressive on a sunny day.

Huanglong Nature Reserve

In the mountains of Sichuan province, you can see unusual terraces filled with bluish water. Formations similar to shallow pools gradually formed by themselves from calcium, which the water brought from underground sources. There are about 3,000 pools with quietly murmuring streams, and around them there are forests with pandas and thickets of rhododendrons. In winter, travertine pools freeze, but the area is still extremely beautiful.

Monkey Island

Although Nanwan is called Monkey Island, it is actually a peninsula. But it is convenient to get here from the sea side, where there is a long cable car. This tropical area with lots of fruit trees is a real paradise for monkeys. There are about 2,000 macaques living here, and their habitat is protected by the state. Only part of the reserve is open to visitors. Tourists can feed the monkeys and take pictures with them, as well as watch the show. A trip to monkey island gives you the opportunity to relax on the sandy beach among coconut palms, admire coral reefs or go fishing on a raft.

Panjin Red Beach

Contrary to the name, this place is not a beach, but a swampy delta of the Liaohe River in Liaoning Province. Grass grows everywhere here, which in spring and summer looks like an ordinary green reed inhabited by waterfowl. But in autumn, this grass turns bright red, and with it, the whole neighborhood gets the same color. If you come to China in autumn, it’s worth visiting this place and admiring the red carpet stretching to the horizon.

What else is interesting to see in China?

There are many other beautiful places in China that are worth visiting. These are historical monuments, grandiose statues and picturesque natural attractions. Let’s briefly list some of them:

• Mount Emeishan and the “Big Buddha” statue in Leshan. The top places to visit in China include a Buddha statue carved into the rock by eighth-century craftsmen. The height of this Buddha is 71 m, it took 90 years to create it. The best way to see the statue is to walk along the river at the foot of the figure. The tour can be combined with an ascent to Mount Emeishan, where there are many other attractions and beautiful views.
• Zhongyuan Buddha statue. This place is also known as the Temple of the Spring Buddha. There is a 128 m high statue built of copper alloy, steel and 100 kg of gold for coating. The Buddha figure stands on a base in the form of a lotus flower, and together with the pedestal and the embankment, the height of the structure reaches 208 m. Until 2018, it was the tallest statue in the world.
• The historical center of Macau. The port of Macau was ruled by the Portuguese from the 16th to the 20th century. The legacy of the colonial era has become numerous buildings in which the traditional European style is combined with the Chinese. On the streets of the historical center, you can see well-preserved temples, a theater, a university and a lighthouse.
• Confucian shrines in Qufu. The ancient philosopher Confucius hailed from the kingdom of Lu, whose capital was located on the territory of the modern city of Qufu. Since the 5th century BC, three important monuments have been preserved: the large temple of Confucius manor in the traditional style and the burial place of the philosopher himself, his disciples and descendants.
• A breeding base for large pandas in Sichuan province. There is a reserve in Sichuan where big pandas live, and there is also a breeding base for these charming bears. If you like pandas, you know where to go. This is one of the best attractions in China. About 100 pandas of different ages live on the base in close to natural conditions.
• Detian Waterfalls. To see an extraordinarily beautiful waterfall with a height of 30 m and a total width of 200 m cascades, you need to go to the border with Vietnam. But you will not regret the time you have spent. The road passes through a picturesque mountainous area, where you constantly want to take pictures, and the waterfall itself is beautiful. You can swim close to it on a raft.

Now you know what attractions are in China and what you need to see in this country. As a rule, interesting sites attract a lot of tourists — both local and visitors from everywhere. It is more convenient to travel around China with a guide who will take care of tickets, make a convenient route and take you where you need by car. Our Guide Club offers the services of such specialists. Specify the date and destination in the search, choose a suitable tour on the website and book it online!

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