The worth-visiting cities in China

A picturesque country full of diverse landscapes, cuisine and culture, China boasts captivating cities that showcase its colorful contrasts, from gleaming skyscrapers to cobbled alleyways. It is a country where you can experience ancient traditions and visit world-class attractions, and spend your time exploring iconic landmarks, meeting pandas and meandering through the quiet countryside. From the Great Wall in Beijing to the UNESCO-listed streets of Lijiang, here are some of the best cities to visit in China.

Shanghai

Shanghai is a city that sprawls and seethes with the energy of more than 24 million people and is one of the world’s largest cities. It gradually increased in importance as a city throughout the dynastic ages of the Song and Ming, but it was under the Qing that it boomed to become the most important trading port on the Yangtze River Delta.

In the present day Shanghai is much the same and the shimmering skyscrapers on the Bund are testament to the city’s trading power. You will still find traces of the old however in the numerous historic buildings and the leafy canals of the French Concession.

Hangzhou

Famed for its natural scenery, Hangzhou and its West Lake have been immortalized by countless poets and artists. In the 13th century Marco Polo described the city as the most beautiful and magnificent in the world. Hangzhou’s most famous sight, West Lake, is a large lake separated by causeways and lined with ancient buildings and gardens designed for relaxation and spirituality. Visitors will find pagodas, temples, walking paths and tea farms along its shores.

Chengdu

Found in the Sichuan province, Chengdu is China’s panda capital. Home to the Chengdu Research Base of Giant Panda Breeding, this city is one of the best places to see these iconic animals.
The research base is dedicated to the breeding and conservation of giant pandas, with a population that has grown from just six in 1987 to over 80 today. And alongside observing them, visitors can learn all about the species at the Giant Panda Museum. Whilst in Chengdu, be sure to check out the city’s tea house culture. The city is also famous for its Sichuan cuisine, so don’t leave without trying a bite or two.

Guilin

Guilin, with its marvelous limestone scenery, is renowned as one of the most beautiful place on earth. On his tour, Former US President Nixon remarked: "I have found that no city can surpass the beauty of Guilin."

Xi’an

Guilin is an hour due west from Hong Kong by air. A tour of Hong Kong can be easily combined with a Guilin tour for visa-free travel.

Xi’an was once the start of the indispensable Silk Road that made commerce between many countries in Eurasia possible. It was also the imperial seat for no fewer than eleven dynasties, before the unification of China between 1000 BC and 1000 AD making it one of the Four Great Ancient Capitals of China. Its most famous attractions is the rather recently discovered Terracotta Army, the protectors of the tomb of the first emperor of China. Xi’an also boast 14th century city walls that are more than 12 km (8 miles) long. They are not only a part of the city history, but traveling in Xi’an sometimes requires going under, on or around them.

See more: Top 10 attractions to visit in Xian, China

Beijing

Beijing is the capital of China and a typical big city that never sleeps. With a population of over 21 million, it is slightly smaller than Shanghai, although it is also the political center of the country and home of iconic spots like Tiananmen Square.

One of the big draws here is the fascinating Forbidden City, a UNESCO World Heritage Site where the emperors of the Ming and Qing dynasties lived, and you will find opulent ceramics, artwork, fountains and thrones here. The National Museum of China is also located in Beijing and is one of the most acclaimed art institutions in the country.

Source Internet

Chengdu, the homeland of pandas in China

Chengdu, the capital of China’s southwest Sichuan Province is famed for being the home of cute giant pandas. Although it’s famous for pandas, there are so many other tourist attractions you should visit once.

Chengdu Research Base of Giant Panda Breeding

Located just 10 km (6 miles) away from downtown, the Chengdu Research Base of Giant Panda Breeding has been created and imitated the natural habitat of giant pandas in order that they might have the best possible environment for rearing and breeding.

The giant pandas are not only a Chinese national treasure but are also beloved by people the world over. They are found only in Sichuan, Shaanxi and Gansu provinces. In total there are fewer than 2,000, of which 70% are distributed within the territory of Sichuan Province. Therefore, when visitors from home and abroad come to Chengdu, Sichuan, one of their main objectives will be to see this lovely animal for themselves.

Wuhou Temple

Wuhou Temple, also known as Wuhou Shrine Temple of Marquis, is dedicated to Zhuge Liang, Marquis Wu (Wuhou) of the Kingdom of Shu in the Three Kingdoms Period (220 - 280). Zhuge Liang was an excellent politician, militarist, diplomat and astronomer. In addition, the Temple of Liu Bei, the emperor of Shuhan, and his mausoleum are well-known historical sites inside this big scenic spot.

Wuhou Temple is located in the southwestern part of downtown Chengdu. The date of its establishment is unclear. We know only that it was built next to the Temple of Liu Bei. Consequently, the entrance plaque reads “Zhaolie Temple of Shuhan Kingdom”. Zhaolie is the posthumous title of Liu Bei. The current Wuhou Temple was rebuilt in 1672.

Jinli Street

Chengdu is a city brimming with a strong leisurely ambiance with Jinli Street as the typical representative. The street is located to the east of the Wuhou Temple of Chengdu (the most famous Three Kingdoms period (220 - 280) relic museum in China).

It is recorded that as early as the Qin Dynasty (221 BC - 206 BC), Jinli Street was the most famous place for baldachin - a rich, ornate cloth. And it was one of the busiest commercial areas during the Shu Kingdom (221-263). Hence, it is known as 'First Street of the Shu Kingdom'. In order to reclaim its prosperity of former days, it was restored with contributions from the Wuhou Temple and was opened to the public in October of 2004. Since then, visitors from all over China and abroad gather here to relax, admire the traditional-style buildings, and taste some local snacks.

Sanxingdui Museum

Sanxingdui Museum (Three-Star Piles Museum) is located in Northeast of the Three-Star Piles archeological site, west of the famous cultural city of Guanghan, on the bank of Jian River (commonly called Yazi River), 40 kilometers from north of Chengdu City. Covering an exhibition area of 4,000 square meters and opened in October 1997 this is an archeological museum with excellent modern facilities. The cultural relics preserved here were mostly unearthed from the Three-Star Piles site.

See more: The most popular desserts in China

Source Internet

6 places to visit outside Chengdu, China

Even though Chengdu may not be what first comes to most foreigners' mind, this so-called "Land of Abundance" does not have a shortage of wonderful attractions. However, to fully capture what the city holds, tourists may have to go out to the outskirts of Chengdu.

Dujiang Yan

This irrigation project, constructed over 2,000 years ago, is one of the world’s cultural heritage sites recognized by UNESCO. Amazingly, despite its age the Dujiang Yan irrigation system continues to benefit over 40 neighboring counties in Sichuan province. It is the oldest no-dam irrigation system in the world and something of an engineering miracle. As it turns out, China has a historic knack for designing and implementing engineering marvels.

Mount Qingcheng

Located near Dujiang Yan, Mount Qingcheng is one of the most important Taoist sites in the world. The mountain range has 36 peaks, and in Taoist mythology it is the site of the Yellow Emperor’s studies with Ning Fengzi (this sounds obscure but all Chinese know it). Due to its rich Taoist history, the mountain is home to dozens of temples, although many were destroyed in the 2008 Sichuan earthquake. This mountain has been the subject of countless Chinese poets and philosophers, who have called it “The most peaceful and secluded mountain under heaven”. It’s a peaceful getaway.

Flower Town

Located on the Eastern edge of Chengdu, Flower Town (called Sanshenxiang in Chinese) is mostly a weekend destination for Chengdu residents. As the name suggests, Flower Town is famous for being dotted with flower-filled nurseries. If you go on weekends when the weather is nice, expect large crowds. This is a great place to sip tea, take walks, and smell the flowers.

Leshan Giant Buddha

This colossal stone statue of Maitreya has been a UNESCO heritage site since 1996. Standing an incredible 70 meters tall, you will feel like an ant when you’re standing next to this buddha carved out of the side of a mountain. Started in 713 AD by a Buddhist monk named Haitong, the carving of the statue continued for 90 years before it was completed in 803 AD. Today it remains the largest sculpture of Buddha on the planet and attracts pilgrims and tourists from near and far.

High Tech Zone

If you want to see the most architecturally developed region of the city, it’s Chengdu’s High Tech Zone. What many don’t know about Chengdu is that although the city is designed with concentric circles emanating from Tianfu Square at the center, the city’s planners have another idea. They intend for the future center of the city to not be in the geographic center of the city, but in the south.
One of the world’s largest software parks, the Tianfu Software Park to the south of Chengdu has around 50,000 people in it. The rows and rows of office buildings seem to go on forever. Although many of the buildings look very similar, you will see Chengdu’s most architecturally adventurous buildings here.

Giant Panda Research Base

This is a must-see day trip outside of Chengdu. Only in Sichuan province can you see the giant panda in its native habitat, and with over 30 pandas on site, this is the best place to do that.

The base itself is a large facility which will guide you through the panda’s natural living environment. It was designed to recreate the natural habitat as closely as possible, not just for the pandas themselves but for visitors as well.

See more: Top Sichuan street food to try in Chengdu, China

Source: Internet