Places to Visit in China

     China has one of the oldest civilizations and oldest written language systems.  It is an amazing place to visit if you ever have the opportunity.  You can experience the culture of the country, the natural resources of the country, and the art of China.   Here are a few of the places I recommend that you visit while you are in China. I will describe them briefly on this first page of this website, and then you can view additional pages of information and pictures as you continue through the website.

The Great Wall of China in Beijing

     If you have the opportunity to visit Beijing, you must see the Great Wall of China.  It is truly one of the most spectacular wonders you will ever see in the entire world.  In fact, it is the world's longest human-made structure.  It winds through the country of China.  The wall that you can view today was mainly built during the Ming Dynasty.  Parts of the wall have been built with the earth, but other parts were built with stone or brick.  It is estimated that between two and three million Chinese peasants died while working on building this wall.  Can you even imagine the amount of labor that went into building such a masterpiece?  Of course they didn't have modern construction equipment and machinery that we have now either.  It is breathtaking to visualize the effort the Chinese put into their protection. 

The Forbidden City

     The Forbidden City was the imperial palace of the emperors between the Ming Dynasty and the Qing Dynasty.   In addition to being the home of the emperor and his household, it was also a ceremonial and political center of the government.  The Forbidden City has 980 buildings and 8,707 rooms.  Those numbers are just astounding and nearly unbelievable.  The Forbidden City also covers 7,800,000 square feet.  The architecture found in the Forbidden City has influenced cultural and architectural developments in other locations across Asia.  It is located in Beijing, and is currently the home of the Palace Museum.Today, in the Palace Museum, you can view not only the inside of the building, but also an extensive collection of artwork and artifacts that have come from the imperial collections of the Ming and Qing Dynasties. 

The Bund

     The Bund is located in the Huangpu District in central Shanghai in the Poeple's Republic of China.  It is on Zhongshan Road.  It runs along the western bank of the Huangpu River.  Visitors like to visit the Bund to see the variety of architectural buildings that line the river.  In one mile, you can see fifty-two buildings of many architectural styles, such as Renaissance, Romanesque, Gothic, Beaux-Arts, Neo-Classical, Baroque, and Art Deco.  You can view the Bund from the road or you can take a boat ride down the river.  You must see the Bund if you are visiting Shanghai. 

     The Terra Cotta Warriors and Horses were discovered in 1974 by farmers drilling a well.  What was excavated were thousands of terra cotta figures that included warriors, chariots, horses, officials, strongmen, musicians, and acrobats.  The Terra Cotta Army was buried with the first emperor of Qin, and the purpose of the army was to help him rule another empire in the afterlife.  The Terra Cotta warriors and other figures have a very realistic appearance.  You have to see them in person, so if you are visiting China, be sure to put a trip to see the Terra Cotta Warriors on your list.

West Lake

     West Lake is located in the western part of Hangzhou City's historic center.  It has mountains on three sides, and takes up an area of approximately 6.5 square kilometers.  This is one of the most treasured locations in China due to its beauty and peacefulness.  Here at West Lake you will be able to view a variety of plants and flowers.  While visiting the lake, there are some other tourist attractions you may wish to see, such as Ling Yin Temple.  This is one of the ten most famous Buddhist temples of China.  It has a wealth of information and has a collection of Buddhist literature and many other treasures.  There are also pavilions, palaces, and halls that house cultural relics.  Another place you may wish to visit while in Hangzhou City is the China National Silk Museum.  This is the biggest silk museum in the world, and there are eight exhibition halls here to learn about Chinese silk culture.  If you visit this museum you can even make some silk yourself.  The National Tea Museum is another place you may wish to visit while near West Lake.  This museum has six halls to show the history of tea making in China.  The Six Harmonies Pagoda, which is south of West lake, is considered a masterpiece of ancient Chinese architecture.  Be sure to visit this seven story work of art and catch the view from inside too.  Finally, while at West Lake, be sure to see Hupao Spring.  Here you can taste the spring water and feel at peace with nature.

Chengdu Research Base of Giant Panda Breeding

     To finish your trip, be sure to visit the Chengdu Research Base of Giant Panda Breeding.  This is a non-profit research and breeding facility that works to protect and conserve wild animals, particularly giant pandas, but also red pandas, golden monkeys, and other wild and endangered species.  Although they started with only six pandas, they now have 83 pandas.  They focus on educating tourists and helping them to interact with the pandas so that they can appreciate these animals and work together to conserve and protect the pandas and their environments.  This is an educational and fun place to visit, so please see the giant pandas at the Chengdu Research Base of Giant Panda Breeding in China when you visit.

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The Great Wall of China >