Historic sites
Leshan Giant Buddha
Wutongqiao, Sichuan
The world's largest stone Buddha, 71 m tall, carved into a red sandstone cliff where three rivers meet, in the 8th century.
Historic sites in China
Historic sites
Mogao Caves, Dunhuang
Dunhuang, Gansu
Nearly 500 Buddhist cave temples carved into a cliff in the desert near Dunhuang, an oasis on the Silk Road, with murals and statues painted over a t…
Historic sites
Mutianyu Great Wall
Huairou, Beijing
A restored section of the Great Wall about 70 km north of Beijing, with 23 watchtowers along a forested ridge, less crowded than Badaling.
Historic sites
Potala Palace, Lhasa
Lhasa, Tibet
The former winter palace of the Dalai Lamas, a huge red and white building rising up the Red Hill above Lhasa, at 3,700 m, a UNESCO World Heritage Si…
Historic sites
Temple of Heaven, Beijing
Beijing
A Ming dynasty complex where emperors prayed for good harvests, with the circular, triple-roofed Hall of Prayer for Good Harvests, a masterpiece of C…
Historic sites
Terracotta Army, Xi'an
Lintong, Shaanxi
Thousands of life-sized clay soldiers, archers, horses and chariots, each with an individual face, buried to guard the tomb of Qin Shi Huang, China's…
Historic sites
The Bund, Shanghai
Huangpu, Shanghai
Shanghai's riverside promenade lined with grand colonial-era banks and hotels, facing the futuristic skyline of Pudong across the Huangpu River, incl…
Historic sites
Fujian Tulou
Nanjing, Fujian
Huge round and square earthen houses built by the Hakka people from the 12th century, each home to a whole clan, with rooms around a central courtyar…
Historic sites
Hongcun Village
Huizhou, Anhui
A village of white-walled Huizhou houses with black-tiled roofs, built around a half-moon pond and a lake that reflect the houses, with water channel…
Historic sites
Longmen Grottoes, Luoyang
Luoyang, Henan
More than 2,000 caves and niches along the Yi River with around 100,000 Buddhist statues carved between the 5th and 10th centuries, from tiny figures…
Historic sites
Old Town of Lijiang
Gucheng, Yunnan
An old town of the Naxi people, with cobbled lanes, wooden houses and canals, at the foot of the Jade Dragon Snow Mountain, a UNESCO World Heritage S…
Historic sites
Pingyao Ancient City
Pingyao, Shanxi
One of the best-preserved walled towns in China, with Ming and Qing dynasty streets, courtyard houses, temples, and the first banks in China, a UNESC…
Historic sites
Summer Palace, Beijing
Beijing
A vast imperial garden around Kunming Lake, the retreat of the Qing emperors and Empress Dowager Cixi, a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Historic sites
Xi'an City Wall and Muslim Quarter
Xi’an, Shaanxi
The most complete ancient city wall in China, a 14 km Ming dynasty rampart with gates and towers, wide enough to cycle around; bikes are for hire on …