Amazing China
15 May 2007China’s long and colorful history makes it an exciting and worth-visiting tourism destination in the Asian continent. Numerous scenic locations are silent witnesses to China’s colorful past while places of historical interest are lasting vestiges of the country’s progress.
China, the second largest country, which covers 1/15 of the world’s land mass, has numerous attractions that range from natural wonders to cultural cities. There is definitely more to China than being home to the world-famous Great Wall and the off-limits Forbidden City.
A couple of days or weeks are not enough to cover all the interesting sights there is in China. In fact, it takes years to completely tour all the geological wonders, historical remains, political venues, archaeological sites, and bustling metros in this territory.
First-time visitors can start off with Beijing, China’s capital city, where the Great Wall and Forbidden City are located. Beijing is also home to famous landmarks like the Tiananmen Square, the Peking Man Site at Zhoukoudian, the Summer Palace, and the Temple of Heaven.
At Sichuan Province, the Grand Buddha at Leshan, which is the largest Buddha in the world, can be found here. Towering at 71 meters, this giant Buddha overlooks two rivers - the Dadu and the Min. Speaking of rivers, China is home to the Yangtze River - the longest river in Asia and the third in the world. Yellow River, another famous river in China, is the “Mother River” and the “Cradle of Chinese Civilization.”
China also has its important mountains namely Mt. Huangshan in Anhui province, Mt. Taishan in Shandong province, Mt. Huashan in Shaanxi Province, Mt. Hengshan in Shanxi Province, Mt. Songshan in Henan Province, and Mt. Hengshan in Hunan Province. These mountains, which are collectively called Wu Yue, are destinations for pilgrimage for centuries
A trip to China can be superbly exciting if one decides to visit the cities along the Silk Road, which was a network of trade routes. These cities include Xian, Lan-chou, Tun-huang, among others. Xian, the capital of Shaanxi province, is one of the four great ancient capitals of China. Outside this city, the Tomb of Qin Shi Huangdi and his Terracotta Army is located. Seven thousand terra cotta figures of life-size warriors and horses were buried together with the first Qin emperor here.
Kunming, the capital of Yunnan Province, has wonderful scenic attractions like the Stone Forest, which is said to be the First Wonder of the World since the Ming Dynasty. The well-preserved Old Town of Lijiang, which dates back 800 years ago, is also a must-see destination. Aside from having amazing architecture, this charming town is set in a picturesque location and is rich in cultural history.
Devotees of Buddhism should visit the Mogao Caves. The Mogao Caves, also known as the Caves of a Thousand Buddhas, is a shrine of Buddhist art treasures.
China has a lively arts scene that every enthusiast should bask in. Music, dance, opera, and other forms of art are very popular in China. One should not fail to watch a performance at the Peking Opera. Moreover, ethnic customs are dime a dozen. Choose amongst a variety of festivals like the Ti Torch Festival, the Dai Wate Sprinkling Festival, the Bai March Street, and the Zhuang Singing Festival on your trip to China.
China is definitely a treasure trove of cultural attractions, historical remains, national and ethnic customs, and scenic wonders. Encompassing one-fifteenth of the world’s total land area, China has numerous tourist destinations that you can ever imagine.
